Role of SAM Chain Length in Enhancing the Sensitivity of Nanopillar Modified Electrodes for Glucose Detection.

In this report, alkanethiol self assembled monolayers (SAM) with two different chain lengths were used to immobilize the functionalizing enzyme (glucose oxidase) onto gold nanopillar modified electrodes and the electrochemical processes of these functionalized electrodes in glucose detection were investigated. First, the formation of these SAMs on the nanopillar modified electrodes was characterized by the cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques, and then the detection sensitivity of these functionalized electrodes to glucose was evaluated by the amperometry technique. Results showed that the SAM of alkanethiols with a longer chain length resulted in a higher degree of surface coverage with less defect and a higher electron transfer resistance, whereas the SAM of alkanethiols with a shorter chain length gave rise to a higher detection sensitivity to glucose. This study sheds some new insight into how to enhance the sensing performance of nanopillar modified electrodes.

Electrochemical fabrication and evaluation of highly sensitive nanorod-modified electrodes for a biotin/avidin system.

Bioaffinity sensors need to be rapid, specific, and highly sensitive. To realize these features, electrodes that can elicit high electrochemical performance are necessary. In this study, we developed nanorod array electrode and performed cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) experiments to study the interfacial properties of the nanorod array electrode with Fe(CN)(6)(3-/4-) as the redox molecules. Results showed that both the CV and EIS measurements captured very well the resistive and capacitive changes due to the adsorption of functionalizing molecules and the coupling between avidin and biotin. The EIS measurements were more sensitive in discriminating small changes caused by the surface adsorption of various molecules. The use of avidin-functionalized gold nanorod modified electrodes had led to much increased detection sensitivity along with a detection-limit as low as 1 ng/mL of biotin.

Fast fourier transform analysis of pore pattern in anodized alumina formed at various conditions.

A quantitative investigation of the effect of process parameters such as electrolyte concentration, temperature, anodization duration and anodization potential on the pore pattern (including pore diameter and distribution) in anodic alumina was performed based on aluminum anodization experiments. Using fast Fourier transform (FFT) analysis, we developed a method to quantify the orderedness of pore distribution. We found that at a lower temperature the anodization protocol of a 1 hr first step followed by a 4 hr second step did not cause any change in pore orderedness as opposed to the anodization protocol of a 12 hr first step followed by a 1 hr second step, but at a higher temperature the former improved the pore orderedness. Increasing the electrolyte concentration, improved the pore orderedness. Varying the electrolyte concentration, temperature, and anodization duration did not have any effect on the pore diameter. Increasing the anodization potential, however, not only improved the pore orderedness but also increased the pore diameter. Linear relationships exist between the pore diameter and anodization potential and between the center to center pore spacing and applied anodization potential.

Optimizing the functionalization process for nanopillar enhanced electrodes with GOx/PPY for glucose detection.

In this study, the functionalization process for nanopillar enhanced electrodes (NEEs) using glucose oxidase (GOx) with polypyrrole (PPY) is optimized for the purpose of achieving enhanced sensing performances for these electrodes in glucose detection. Specifically, an optimal roughness factor for the NEEs and an optimal set of electro-polymerization/deposition parameters for their functionalization using GOx/PPY are identified. Results show that NEEs with a roughness factor of about 60 are optimal for enhancing the amperometric current responses and that for such electrodes an electro-functionalization/deposition process at a deposition current of 50 µA cm(-2) and a total charge of 150 mC cm(-2) will give rise to a high sensing performance with a sensitivity as high as 36 µA cm(-2) mM(-1).

Role of reaction kinetics and mass transport in glucose sensing with nanopillar array electrodes.

The use of nanopillar array electrodes (NAEs) for biosensor applications was explored using a combined experimental and simulation approach to characterize the role of reaction kinetics and mass transport in glucose detection with NAEs. Thin gold electrodes with arrays of vertically standing gold nanopillars were fabricated and their amperometric current responses were measured under bare and functionalized conditions. Results show that the sensing performances of both the bare and functionalized NAEs were affected not only by the presence and variation of the nanoscale structures on the electrodes but also by the reaction kinetics and mass transport of the analyte species involved. These results will shed new light for enhancing the performance of nanostructure based biosensors.

Nanopillar array structures for enhancing biosensing performance.

Fabrication of metallic nanopillar array structures and their application as electrodes in electrochemical-based biosensors are discussed in this report. Vertically standing nanopillar array structures were fabricated using an electrodeposition technique and their electrochemical characteristics were evaluated. For possible use in biosensing applications, these standing nanopillars should have sufficient mechanical stability to sustain the capillary forces caused by the nanopillar-liquid interactions in aqueous environment and should provide increased signal response in an electrochemical process. Our results showed that the developed nanopillar arrays were mechanically stable in aqueous environments and the nanostructured electrodes exhibited increased electrochemical response compared with flat electrodes.