The Polymer Society of Korea

Abstract

Flexible surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates enable direct molecular analysis on irregular surfaces, making them valuable for food safety and bio-signal detection. However, most conventional SERS substrates suffer from structural damage after repeated use and limiting their practical utility. This study introduces a reconfigurable composite film with uniformly dispersed nanoparticles in a shape-memory polymer matrix. A thin gold layer is deposited onto the nanopatterned surface and selectively transferred to the target during light-triggered shape recovery, forming dense hotspots. The template is cleanly detached and reused, while the sensing layer is restored by simple redeposition without lithography. Raman analysis confirmed strong signal enhancement and reliable detection of residual chemicals on curved surfaces, demonstrating the potential of this system as a high-performance, reusable SERS platform for smart chemical monitoring.