Carbon nanotube electrodes for electrochemiluminescence biosensors

Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2010:2010:2722-5. doi: 10.1109/IEMBS.2010.5626571.

Abstract

The present application is based on the use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) for biomolecular analysis using electrochemiluminescence (ECL) detection technique [1]-[9]. For this purpose we have grown self standing cylinder-shaped blocks of multi-wall CNTs (MWCNTs) by means of a catalytic chemical vapour deposition system, fed by camphor and ferrocene gases. The blocks were subsequently back-contacted and encapsulated into epoxy resin as electrical insulator and sealant, for their use as voltammetric electrodes. A ruthenium-complex solution has been used as ECL label. It has been observed a periodical light emission that lasts for hundreds of cycles, likely due to the CNTs structure. Thanks to a data-processing algorithm which exploits this behavior, the experiments show that it is possible to obtain a great increase in detection limit as compared to the common working metal electrodes (for example Au or Pt).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Biosensing Techniques*
  • Camphor / chemistry
  • Catalysis
  • Electrochemistry / methods*
  • Electrodes
  • Equipment Design
  • Ferrous Compounds / chemistry
  • Gases
  • Gold / chemistry
  • Luminescence
  • Metallocenes
  • Nanotubes, Carbon / chemistry*
  • Platinum / chemistry
  • Ruthenium / chemistry
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Ferrous Compounds
  • Gases
  • Metallocenes
  • Nanotubes, Carbon
  • Platinum
  • Gold
  • Camphor
  • Ruthenium
  • ferrocene