Tuning the Solid Phase Fluorescence Emission from Long Wavelength Visible to Near-Infrared in Oxazol-5-One Derivatives: Structure-Property Relationship, Theoretical and Experimental Studies.

Most of the fluorescent molecules among organic [Formula: see text]-conjugated materials show blue or green emission in the solid phase but few of them emit red-shifted visible and near-infrared light in the material science. To create molecules emitting for this feature, two π-conjugated oxazol-5-one derivatives containing donor (OCH3) and acceptor groups (NO2) were synthesized. Their optical and charge-transport properties were investigated through experimental and theoretical methods including the single crystal X-ray crystallography, Hirshfeld Surface Analysis, photophysical studies and Density Functional Theory (DFT), respectively. In addition, FT-IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements were performed. According to our results, both molecules may provide the significant pathway of development of long wavelength visible and red emissive features in solid phase with the aggregation induced enhanced emission (AIEE) properties particularly in the fields of OLEDs, optical communication, defence and bioimaging.

Three-Dimensional CeO2 Woodpile Nanostructures To Enhance Performance of Enzymatic Glucose Biosensors.

Fabrication of detection elements with ultrahigh surface area is essential for improving the sensitivity of analyte detection. Here, we report a direct patterning technique to fabricate three-dimensional CeO2 nanoelectrode arrays for biosensor application over relatively large areas. The fabrication approach, which employs nanoimprint lithography and a CeO2 nanoparticle-based ink, enables the direct, high-throughput patterning of nanostructures and is scalable, integrable, and of low cost. With the convenience of sequential imprinting, multilayered woodpile nanostructures with prescribed numbers of layers were achieved in a "stacked-up" architecture and were successfully fabricated over large areas. To demonstrate application as a biosensor, an enzymatic glucose sensor was developed. The sensitivity of glucose sensors can be enhanced simply by increasing the number of layers, which multiplies surface area while maintaining a constant footprint. The four-layer woodpile nanostructure of CeO2 glucose sensor exhibited enhanced sensitivity (42.8 µA mM-1 cm-2) and good selectivity. This direct imprinting strategy for three-dimensional sensing architectures is potentially extendable to other electroactive materials and other sensing applications.

Bioactive surface design based on functional composite electrospun nanofibers for biomolecule immobilization and biosensor applications.

The combination of nanomaterials and conducting polymers attracted remarkable attention for development of new immobilization matrices for enzymes. Hereby, an efficient surface design was investigated by modifying the graphite rod electrode surfaces with one-step electrospun nylon 6,6 nanofibers or 4% (w/w) multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) incorporating nylon 6,6 nanofibers (nylon 6,6/4MWCNT). High-resolution transmission electron microscopy study confirmed the successful incorporation of the MWCNTs into the nanofiber matrix for nylon 6,6/4MWCNT sample. Then, these nanofibrous surfaces were coated with a conducting polymer, (poly-4-(4,7-di(thiophen-2-yl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)benzaldehyde) (PBIBA) to obtain a high electroactive surface area as new functional immobilization matrices. Due to the free aldehyde groups of the polymeric structures, a model enzyme, glucose oxidase was efficiently immobilized to the modified surfaces via covalent binding. Scanning electron microscope images confirmed that the nanofibrous structures were protected after the electrodeposition step of PBIBA and a high amount of protein attachment was successfully achieved by the help of high surface to volume ratio of electroactive nanofiber matrices. The biosensors were characterized in terms of their operational and storage stabilities and kinetic parameters (K(m)(app) and Imax). The resulting novel glucose biosensors revealed good stability and promising Imax values (10.03 and 16.67 µA for nylon 6,6/PBIBA and nylon 6,6/4MWCNT/PBIBA modified biosensors, respectively) and long shelf life (32 and 44 days for nylon 6,6/PBIBA and nylon 6,6/4MWCNT/PBIBA modified biosensors, respectively). Finally, the biosensor was tested on beverages for glucose detection.

Development of an efficient immobilization matrix based on a conducting polymer and functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes: synthesis and its application to ethanol biosensors.

Material modification is one of the hot topics recently. Hereby a novel functional monomer, 2-(4-nitrophenyl)-4,7-di(thiophen-2-yl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazole (BIPN), was synthesized for matrix generation through electrochemical polymerization. Its conducting polymer was successfully used for the biolayer construction in the biosensor preparation. The electrochemical and morphological properties were improved by the introduction of carboxylic acid functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs). Carboxylic acid functionalization of MWCNTs was carried out via acid treatment. The electrode surface was modified with the polymer and f-MWCNTs during electropolymerization to achieve a perfect immobilization matrix for alcohol oxidase. In order to prepare a new alcohol biosensor, alcohol oxidase (AOx) was immobilized onto the modified electrode. The modified electrode was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron microscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy techniques. Electrochemical responses of the enzyme electrodes were monitored at -0.7 V vs. Ag reference electrode by monitoring oxygen consumption in the presence of ethanol. Kinetic parameters, operational and storage stabilities were investigated. K, Imax, LOD and sensitivity were calculated as 16.946 mM, 3.31 µA, 0.806 mM and 476 µA mM-1 cm-2, respectively. Finally, this biosensor was applied to estimate the alcohol content in various beverages successfully.

A novel promising biomolecule immobilization matrix: synthesis of functional benzimidazole containing conducting polymer and its biosensor applications.

In order to construct a robust covalent binding between biomolecule and immobilization platform in biosensor preparation, a novel functional monomer 4-(4,7-di(thiophen-2-yl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)benzaldehyde (BIBA) was designed and successfully synthesized. After electropolymerization of this monomer, electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical properties were investigated in detail. To fabricate the desired biosensor, glucose oxidase (GOx) was immobilized as a model enzyme on the polymer coated graphite electrode with the help of glutaraldehyde (GA). During the immobilization step, an imine bond was formed between the free amino groups of enzyme and aldehyde group of polymer. The surface characterization and morphology were investigated to confirm bioconjugation by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) at each step of biosensor fabrication. The optimized biosensor shows good linearity between 0.02mM and 1.20mM and a low limit of detection (LOD) of 2.29µM. Kinetic parameters Km(app) and Imax were determined as 0.94mM and 10.91µA, respectively. The biosensor was tested for human blood serum samples.