Issue 13, 2013

Electrolyte-free amperometric immunosensor using a dendritic nanotip

Abstract

Electric detection using a nanocomponent may lead to platforms for rapid and simple biosensing. Sensors composed of nanotips or nanodots have been described for highly sensitive amperometry enabled by confined geometry. However, both fabrication and use of nanostructured sensors remain challenging. This paper describes a dendritic nanotip used as an amperometric biosensor for highly sensitive detection of target bacteria. A dendritic nanotip is structured by Si nanowires coated with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) for generation of a high electric field. For reliable measurements using the dendritic structure, Si nanowires were uniformly fabricated by ultraviolet (UV) lithography and etching. The dendritic structure effectively increased the electric current density near the terminal end of the nanotip according to numerical computation. The electrical characteristics of a dendritic nanotip with additional protein layers was studied by cyclic voltammetry and IV measurement in deionized (DI) water. When the target bacteria dielectrophoretically captured onto a nanotip were bound with fluorescence antibodies, the electric current through DI water decreased. Measurement results were consistent with fluorescence- and electron microscopy. The sensitivity of the amperometry was 10 cfu/sample volume (103 cfu mL−1), which was equivalent to the more laborious fluorescence measurement method. The simple configuration of a dendritic nanotip can potentially offer an electrolyte-free detection platform for sensitive and rapid biosensors.

Graphical abstract: Electrolyte-free amperometric immunosensor using a dendritic nanotip

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
17 Jan 2013
Accepted
18 Jan 2013
First published
23 Jan 2013

RSC Adv., 2013,3, 4281-4287

Electrolyte-free amperometric immunosensor using a dendritic nanotip

J. Kim, M. Hiraiwa, H. Lee, K. Lee, G. A. Cangelosi and J. Chung, RSC Adv., 2013, 3, 4281 DOI: 10.1039/C3RA40262B

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