Development of high-performance electrochemical enzyme biosensors based on carbon nanotube complexes with conjugated polyelectrolytes

A simple and facile route for the construction of highly sensitive electrochemical enzyme biosensors has been proposed using carbon nanotube (CNT) complexes with a conducting poly(thiophene) polymer. Glucose oxidase was used as a model enzyme for the construction of the advanced biosensors. Glucose biosensors, exhibiting sensitivity higher than any biosensor based on CNTs and other polymers reported, were prepared by depositing CNT-polymer loaded polymer layers that contained entrapped glucose oxidase onto gold electrodes. It has been shown that the CNT-polymer complexes offer an enzyme-friendly versatile platform for the immobilization of enzymes with increased electron-transfer rate, high electrical conductivity, and excellent film quality. The obtained results pave the way for the development of other advanced CNT-based biosensors. Further investigations will involve elimination of interferences and incorporation of other enzymes for highly sensitive detection of H₂O₂, ethanol, and NADH (a cofactor in many naturally occurring enzymatic reactions) etc.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Alex Adronov

Student:

Xin Pang

Partner:

Discipline:

Chemistry

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

McMaster University

Program: