Electroactive and biocompatible functionalization of graphene for the development of biosensing platforms

Effect of Annealing Temperature on the Photoluminescence Blue Shift of Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Quantum Dots

Nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (NGQDs) are made by heating a mixture of GQDs and ammonia using a thermochemical method. The optical properties of the samples were studied. Here, the role of the temperature used in the annealing process is investigated. It is found that with the increase in heating temperature, the sp2 fraction content continuously increases, and the photoluminescence (PL) blue shift continuously increases. The 550 nm peak of GQDs shifts from 550 nm to 513 nm NGQDs synthesized at 300 °C. The normalized PL intensity shows a significant blue shift in the emission peak of the NGQD samples compared to the GQDs. The peak position of the GQDs is 555 nm, while the peak positions of the NGQDs are 511 nm for NGQDs-250, 488 nm for NGQDs-300, and 480 nm for NGQDs-350. Using a simple thermochemical method, we can effectively dope N into GQDs, and it is evident from the electron energy loss spectra that N doping induces the emergence of a new energy level in the electronic structure, which alters the optical properties of NGQDs.

Detection of IgG Antibodies Against COVID-19 N-Protein by Hybrid Graphene-Nanorod Sensor

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the global necessity to develop fast, affordable, and user-friendly diagnostic alternatives. Alongside recognized tests such as ELISA, nanotechnologies have since been explored for direct and indirect diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2, the etiological agent of COVID-19. Accordingly, in this work, we report a method to detect anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies based on graphene-based field-effect transistors (GFETs), using a nanostructured platform of graphene with added gold nanorods (GNRs) and a specific viral protein. To detect anti-N-protein IgG antibodies for COVID-19 in human sera, gold nanorods were functionalized with the nucleocapsid (N) protein of SARS-CoV-2, and subsequently deposited onto graphene devices. Our test results demonstrate that the sensor is highly sensitive and can detect antibody concentrations as low as 100 pg/mL. Using the sensor to test human sera that were previously diagnosed with ELISA showed a 90% accuracy rate compared to the ELISA results, with the test completed in under 15 min. Integrating graphene and nanorods eliminates the need for a blocker, simplifying sensor fabrication. This hybrid sensor holds robust potential to serve as a simple and efficient point-of-care platform.

Electrochemical Biosensors for Whole Blood Analysis: Recent Progress, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

Whole blood, as one of the most significant biological fluids, provides critical information for health management and disease monitoring. Over the past 10 years, advances in nanotechnology, microfluidics, and biomarker research have spurred the development of powerful miniaturized diagnostic systems for whole blood testing toward the goal of disease monitoring and treatment. Among the techniques employed for whole-blood diagnostics, electrochemical biosensors, as known to be rapid, sensitive, capable of miniaturization, reagentless and washing free, become a class of emerging technology to achieve the target detection specifically and directly in complex media, e.g., whole blood or even in the living body. Here we are aiming to provide a comprehensive review to summarize advances over the past decade in the development of electrochemical sensors for whole blood analysis. Further, we address the remaining challenges and opportunities to integrate electrochemical sensing platforms.

Recent Developments in the Design and Fabrication of Electrochemical Biosensors Using Functional Materials and Molecules

Electrochemical biosensors are superior technologies that are used to detect or sense biologically and environmentally significant analytes in a laboratory environment, or even in the form of portable handheld or wearable electronics. Recently, imprinted and implantable biosensors are emerging as point-of-care devices, which monitor the target analytes in a continuous environment and alert the intended users to anomalies. The stability and performance of the developed biosensor depend on the nature and properties of the electrode material or the platform on which the biosensor is constructed. Therefore, the biosensor platform plays an integral role in the effectiveness of the developed biosensor. Enormous effort has been dedicated to the rational design of the electrode material and to fabrication strategies for improving the performance of developed biosensors. Every year, in the search for multifarious electrode materials, thousands of new biosensor platforms are reported. Moreover, in order to construct an effectual biosensor, the researcher should familiarize themself with the sensible strategies behind electrode fabrication. Thus, we intend to shed light on various strategies and methodologies utilized in the design and fabrication of electrochemical biosensors that facilitate sensitive and selective detection of significant analytes. Furthermore, this review highlights the advantages of various electrode materials and the correlation between immobilized biomolecules and modified surfaces.

Electrochemical devices for cholesterol detection

Cholesterol can be considered as a biomarker of illnesses such as heart and coronary artery diseases or arteriosclerosis. Therefore, the fast determination of its concentration in blood is interesting as a means of achieving an early diagnosis of these unhealthy conditions. Electrochemical sensors and biosensors have become a potential tool for selective and sensitive detection of this biomolecule, combining the analytical advantages of electrochemical techniques with the selective recognition features of modified electrodes. This review covers the different approaches carried out in the development of electrochemical sensors for cholesterol, differentiating between enzymatic biosensors and non-enzymatic systems, highlighting lab-on-a-chip devices. A description of the different modification procedures of the working electrode has been included and the role of the different functional materials used has been discussed.

Engineering of Electron Affinity and Interfacial Charge Transfer of Graphene for Self-Powered Nonenzymatic Biosensor Applications

Facile electron transport and intimate electronic contact at the catalyst-electrode interface are critical for the ideal performance of electrochemical devices such as glucose biofuel cells and biosensors. Here, through a comprehensive experimental-theoretical exploration, we demonstrate that engineering of interfacial properties, including interfacial electron dynamics, electron affinity, electrode-catalyst-adsorbate electrical synergy, and electrocatalytically active surface area, can lead to highly efficient graphene-based electrochemical devices. We selected two closely related but electronically and surface chemically different functionalized graphene analogues-graphene acid (GA) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-as the model graphenic platforms. Our studies reveal that compared to rGO, GA is a superior bifunctional catalyst with high oxygen reduction reaction (an onset potential of 0.8 V) and good glucose oxidation activities. Spectroscopic and electrochemical analysis of GA and rGO indicated that the higher carboxylic acid content on GA increases its overall electron affinity and coupled with improved conductivity and band alignment, which leads to GA's better electrochemical performance. The formulation of a heterostructure between GA and samarium oxide (Sm₂O₃) nanoparticles led to augmented conductivity (lower charge-transfer resistance) and glucose binding affinity, resulting in a further enhanced glucose oxidation activity. The interdimensional Sm₂O₃/GA heterostructure, leveraging their enhanced glucose oxidation capacity, exhibited excellent nonenzymatic amperometric glucose sensing performance, with a detection limit of 107 nM and a sensitivity of 20.8 μA/μM. Further, a nonenzymatic, membrane-free glucose biofuel cell (with Sm₂O₃/GA heterostructure as anode and GA as biocathode) produced a power density of 3.2 μW·cm^-2 (in PBS spiked with 3 mM glucose), which can function as self-powered glucose sensors with 70 nM limit of detection. The study establishes the potential of interfacial engineering of GA to engage it as a highly tunable substrate for a broad range of electrochemical applications, especially in future self-powered biosensors.

Switching the solubility of electroactive ionic liquids for designing high energy supercapacitor and low potential biosensor

Ionic liquids are regarded as one of the most prodigious materials for sustainable technological developments with superior performance and versatility. Hence, in this study, we have reported the design and synthesis of electroactive disubstituted ferrocenyl ionic liquids (Fc-ILs) with two different counter anions and demonstrated the significance of their anion tuneable physicochemical characteristics towards multifunctional electrochemical applications. The Fc-IL synthesized with chloride counter anion (Fc-Cl-IL) displays water-solubility and can be used as a redox additive in the fabrication of supercapacitor. Supercapacitor device with Fc-Cl-IL based redox electrolyte exhibits outstanding energy and power densities of 91 Wh kg^-1 and 20.3 kW kg^-1, respectively. Meanwhile, ferrocenyl IL synthesized with perchlorate anion (Fc-ClO₄-IL) exhibits water-insolubility and can serve as a redox mediator towards construction of a glucose biosensor. The biosensor comprising Fc-ClO₄-IL is able to detect glucose at an exceptionally lower potential of 0.2 V, with remarkable sensitivity and selectivity. This study implies that the introduction of electroactive ILs could afford supercapacitor devices with high energy and power densities and biosensors with less detection potential.

A review on recent advancements in electrochemical biosensing using carbonaceous nanomaterials

This review, with 201 references, describes the recent advancement in the application of carbonaceous nanomaterials as highly conductive platforms in electrochemical biosensing. The electrochemical biosensing is described in introduction by classifying biosensors into catalytic-based and affinity-based biosensors and statistically demonstrates the most recent published works in each category. The introduction is followed by sections on electrochemical biosensors configurations and common carbonaceous nanomaterials applied in electrochemical biosensing, including graphene and its derivatives, carbon nanotubes, mesoporous carbon, carbon nanofibers and carbon nanospheres. In the following sections, carbonaceous catalytic-based and affinity-based biosensors are discussed in detail. In the category of catalytic-based biosensors, a comparison between enzymatic biosensors and non-enzymatic electrochemical sensors is carried out. Regarding the affinity-based biosensors, scholarly articles related to biological elements such as antibodies, deoxyribonucleic acids (DNAs) and aptamers are discussed in separate sections. The last section discusses recent advancements in carbonaceous screen-printed electrodes as a growing field in electrochemical biosensing. Tables are presented that give an overview on the diversity of analytes, type of materials and the sensors performance. Ultimately, general considerations, challenges and future perspectives in this field of science are discussed. Recent findings suggest that interests towards 2D nanostructured electrodes based on graphene and its derivatives are still growing in the field of electrochemical biosensing. That is because of their exceptional electrical conductivity, active surface area and more convenient production methods compared to carbon nanotubes. Graphical abstract Schematic representation of carbonaceous nanomaterials used in electrochemical biosensing. The content is classified into non-enzymatic sensors and affinity/ catalytic biosensors. Recent publications are tabulated and compared, considering materials, target, limit of detection and linear range of detection.

Two-dimensional graphene paper supported flexible enzymatic fuel cells

Application of enzymatic biofuel cells (EBFCs) in wearable or implantable biomedical devices requires flexible and biocompatible electrode materials. To this end, freestanding and low-cost graphene paper is emerging among the most promising support materials. In this work, we have exploited the potential of using graphene paper with a two-dimensional active surface (2D-GP) as a carrier for enzyme immobilization to fabricate EBFCs, representing the first case of flexible graphene papers directly used in EBFCs. The 2D-GP electrodes were prepared via the assembly of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets into a paper-like architecture, followed by reduction to form layered and cross-linked networks with good mechanical strength, high conductivity and little dependence on the degree of mechanical bending. 2D-GP electrodes served as both a current collector and an enzyme loading substrate that can be used directly as a bioanode and biocathode. Pyrroloquinoline quinone dependent glucose dehydrogenase (PQQ-GDH) and bilirubin oxidase (BOx) adsorbed on the 2D-GP electrodes both retain their biocatalytic activities. Electron transfer (ET) at the bioanode required Meldola blue (MB) as an ET mediator to shuttle electrons between PQQ-GDH and the electrode, but direct electron transfer (DET) at the biocathode was achieved. The resulting glucose/oxygen EBFC displayed a notable mechanical flexibility, with a wide open circuit voltage range up to 0.665 V and a maximum power density of approximately 4 μW cm^-2 both fully competitive with reported values for related EBFCs, and with mechanical flexibility and facile enzyme immobilization as novel merits.

Two-Dimensional Graphene Family Material: Assembly, Biocompatibility and Sensors Applications

Graphene and its chemically exfoliated derivatives—GO and rGO—are the key members of graphene family materials (GFM). The atomically thick crystal structure and the large continuous π conjugate of graphene imparts it with unique electrical, mechanical, optical, thermal, and chemical properties. Although those properties of GO and rGO are compromised, they have better scalability and chemical tunability. All GFMs can be subject to noncovalent modification due to the large basal plane. Besides, they have satisfying biocompatibility. Thus, GFMs are promising materials for biological, chemical and mechanical sensors. The present review summarizes how to incorporate GFMs into different sensing system including fluorescence aptamer-based sensors, field-effect transistors (FET), and electrochemical sensors, as well as, how to covalently and/or non-covalently modify GFMs to achieve various detection purpose. Sensing mechanisms and fabrication strategies that will influence the sensitivity of different sensing system are also reviewed.

Biocompatible propulsion for biomedical micro/nano robotics

Micro/Nano robots have shown enormous potential for diverse biomedical applications, such as targeted delivery, in vivo biosensing, minimally invasive surgery and cell manipulation through extending their area of operation to various previously inaccessible locations. The motion of these small-scale robots can be either self-propelled or remotely controlled by some external power sources. However, in order to use them for biomedical applications, optimization of biocompatible propulsion and precise controllability are highly desirable. In this article, the recent progress about the biocompatible propulsion (e.g. self-propulsion, external stimuli based propulsion and bio-hybrid propulsion) techniques for these micro/nano robotic devices are summarized along with their applications, with a special focus on the advantages and disadvantages of different propulsion techniques. The current challenges and future perspectives of these small-scale devices are discussed in the final section.

Electrochemical Evaluation of Selenium (IV) Removal from Its Aqueous Solutions by Unmodified and Modified Graphene Oxide

The removal of selenium from superficial and waste water is a worldwide problem. The maximum limit according to the World Health Organization (WHO) for the selenium in the water is set at a concentration of 10 μg/L. Carbon based adsorbents have attracted much attention and recently demonstrated promising performance in removal of selenium. In this work, several materials (iron oxide based microparticles and graphene oxides materials) and their composites were prepared to remove Se(IV) from water. The graphene oxides were prepared according to the simplified Hummer's method. In addition, the effect of pH, contact time and initial Se(IV) concentration was tested. An electrochemical method such as the differential pulse cathodic stripping voltammetry was used to determine the residual selenium concentration. From the experimental data, Langmuir adsorption model was used to calculate the maximum adsorption capacity. Graphene oxide particles modified by iron oxide based microparticles was the most promising material for the removal of Se(IV) from its aqueous solution at pH 2.0. Its adsorption efficiency reached more than 90% for a solution with given Se(IV) concentration, meanwhile its maximal recorded adsorption capacity was 18.69 mg/g.

A review on graphene-based nanocomposites for electrochemical and fluorescent biosensors

Biosensors with high sensitivity, selectivity and a low limit of detection, reaching nano/picomolar concentrations of biomolecules, are important to the medical sciences and healthcare industry for evaluating physiological and metabolic parameters.

An Electrochemical Cholesterol Biosensor Based on A CdTe/CdSe/ZnSe Quantum Dots-Poly (Propylene Imine) Dendrimer Nanocomposite Immobilisation Layer

We report the preparation of poly (propylene imine) dendrimer (PPI) and CdTe/CdSe/ZnSe quantum dots (QDs) as a suitable platform for the development of an enzyme-based electrochemical cholesterol biosensor with enhanced analytical performance. The mercaptopropionic acid (MPA)-capped CdTe/CdSe/ZnSe QDs was synthesized in an aqueous phase and characterized using photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray power diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. The absorption and emission maxima of the QDs red shifted as the reaction time and shell growth increased, indicating the formation of CdTe/CdSe/ZnSe QDs. PPI was electrodeposited on a glassy carbon electrode followed by the deposition (by deep coating) attachment of the QDs onto the PPI dendrimer modified electrode using 1-Ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC), and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) as a coupling agent. The biosensor was prepared by incubating the PPI/QDs modified electrode into a solution of cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) for 6 h. The modified electrodes were characterized by voltammetry and impedance spectroscopy. Since efficient electron transfer process between the enzyme cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) and the PPI/QDs-modified electrode was achieved, the cholesterol biosensor (GCE/PPI/QDs/ChOx) was able to detect cholesterol in the range 0.1⁻10 mM with a detection limit (LOD) of 0.075 mM and sensitivity of 111.16 μA mM-1 cm-2. The biosensor was stable for over a month and had greater selectivity towards the cholesterol molecule.

3D Carbon Microelectrodes with Bio-Functionalized Graphene for Electrochemical Biosensing

An enzyme-based electrochemical biosensor has been developed with 3D pyrolytic carbon microelectrodes that have been coated with bio-functionalized reduced graphene oxide (RGO). The 3D carbon working electrode was microfabricated using the pyrolysis of photoresist precursor structures, which were subsequently functionalized with graphene oxide and enzymes. Glucose detection was used to compare the sensor performance achieved with the 3D carbon microelectrodes (3DCMEs) to the 2D electrode configuration. The 3DCMEs provided an approximately two-fold higher sensitivity of 23.56 µA·mM⁻¹·cm⁻² compared to 10.19 µA mM⁻¹·cm⁻² for 2D carbon in glucose detection using cyclic voltammetry (CV). In amperometric measurements, the sensitivity was more than 4 times higher with 0.39 µA·mM⁻¹·cm⁻² for 3D electrodes and 0.09 µA·mM⁻¹·cm⁻² for the 2D configuration. The stability analysis of the enzymes on the 3D carbon showed reproducible results over 7 days. The selectivity of the electrode was evaluated with solutions of glucose, uric acid, cholesterol and ascorbic acid, which showed a significantly higher response for glucose.

Carboxylic group riched graphene oxide based disposable electrochemical immunosensor for cancer biomarker detection

In this work, we have developed for the first time a carboxylic group riched graphene oxide based disposable electrochemical immunosensor for cancer biomarker detection using methylene blue (MB). The developed immunosensor is highly sensitive for detection of biomarker Mucin1 (MUC1) in human serum samples. Development of this disposable electrochemical immunosensor was premeditated by applying specific monoclonal antibodies against MUC1. In this method, we explored highly conductive surface of carboxylic group (-COOH-) rich graphene oxide (GO) on screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCE). This modified GO-COOH-SPCE was employed for the detection of MUC1 protein based on the reaction with methylene blue (MB) redox probe using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) technique. Developed immunosensor exhibited good detection range for MUC1 with excellent linearity (0.1 U/mL- 2 U/mL), with a limit of detection of 0.04 U/mL. Upon potential application of developed biosensor, good recoveries were recorded in the range of 96-96.67% with % R.S.D 4.2. Analytical performance of the developed immunosensor assures the applicability in clinical diagnostic applications.

Tuning the Photoluminescence of Graphene Quantum Dots by Photochemical Doping with Nitrogen

Nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (NGQDs) were synthesized by irradiating graphene quantum dots (GQDs) in an NH₃ atmosphere. The photoluminescence (PL) properties of the GQDs and the NGQDs samples were investigated. Compared with GQDs, a clear PL blue-shift of NGQDs could be achieved by regulating the irradiating time. The NGQDs obtained by irradiation of GQDs for 70 min had a high N content of 15.34 at % and a PL blue-shift of about 47 nm. This may be due to the fact that photochemical doping of GQDs with nitrogen can significantly enhance the contents of pyridine-like nitrogen, and also effectively decrease the contents of oxygen functional groups of NGQDs, thus leading to the observed obvious PL blue-shift.

Printable Electrochemical Biosensors: A Focus on Screen-Printed Electrodes and Their Application

In this review we present electrochemical biosensor developments, focusing on screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) and their applications. In particular, we discuss how SPEs enable simple integration, and the portability needed for on-field applications. First, we briefly discuss the general concept of biosensors and quickly move on to electrochemical biosensors. Drawing from research undertaken in this area, we cover the development of electrochemical DNA biosensors in great detail. Through specific examples, we describe the fabrication and surface modification of printed electrodes for sensitive and selective detection of targeted DNA sequences, as well as integration with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). For a more rounded approach, we also touch on electrochemical immunosensors and enzyme-based biosensors. Last, we present some electrochemical devices specifically developed for use with SPEs, including USB-powered compact mini potentiostat. The coupling demonstrates the practical use of printable electrode technologies for application at point-of-use. Although tremendous advances have indeed been made in this area, a few challenges remain. One of the main challenges is application of these technologies for on-field analysis, which involves complicated sample matrices.