Bioelectroanalysis with nanoelectrode ensembles and arrays
Summary (1 min read)
Introduction
- In the last decade there has been growing interest in the development of innovative electrochemical sensors and devices for bioanalytical purposes.
- Moreover, by separating biorecognition and transduction on the nanoscale it is possible to engineer the sensor surface so that one can protect, by use of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of thiols, the nanoelectrodes from undesired nonspecific adsorption yet confine biorecognition to the proximity of (but not on) the nanoelectrode [11, 12].
- In contrast with electrochemical template deposition, in the electroless method the metal layer grows from the catalytic nuclei, which are located on the pore walls, toward the centre of the pores.
- These holes can be used as recessed nanoelectrodes, and by further electrochemical deposition of gold, it is possible to fill the holes partially or totally to obtain arrays of inlaid nanodisc electrodes (Fig. 6).
- As the electrode decreases in size, the diffusion layer thickness approaches the electrode dimensions.
I t ! 1ð Þ ¼ nFAC =d t ! 1ð Þ ð2Þ
- Dividing Eq. (2) by A reveals that smaller (nano)electrodes will furnish higher 3718 M. Ongaro, P. Ugo current densities as a consequence of this enhanced mass transport.
- From perspective of diffusion, the voltammetric responses of NEEs/NEAs can vary, depending on the scan rate or the reciprocal distance among the nanoelectrodes [60–62].
- Typical values of the geometric area range from 0.008 to 0.580 cm2 [47]; this property is defined at the moment of fabrication of the NEE from the dimension of the hole punched into the insulator.
- The effect of the distance between and radius of the nanoelectrodes, and of their number (with regard to negligible border effects) has been explained above.
- NEE and NEA-based biosensors Direct detection strategies are not always feasible, especially for more complex or non-electrochemically active biomolecules.
Conclusion
- Nanoelectrode ensembles and arrays can be obtained both by “bottom-up” and “top-down” nanotechnology.
- A typical “bottom-up” method is membrane templated deposition of ensembles of nanoelectrodes in self-standing track-etched polymer membranes.
- Control of the geometry of the composite enables one to obtain functional materials with unique electroanalytical characteristics.
- Moreover, the small active area can limit the amount of biorecognition molecules which can be immobilized with the purpose of obtaining suitable biosensors.
- The possibility of moving from current NEEs/ NEAs (inwhich all nanoelectrodes are interconnected) tomore sophisticated nanoelectrode systems, in which multiple analyte determination is achieved, and the extrememiniaturization of such devices, would be particularly suitable for sensors to be used in bioanalysis, both for “in vitro” and “in vivo” analysis.
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References
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"Bioelectroanalysis with nanoelectro..." refers methods in this paper
...By analysis of the dependence of ΔEp on scan rate [72], and use of suitable working curves [73], smaller k°app values are obtained and converted to larger k° by use of Eq....
[...]
939 citations
"Bioelectroanalysis with nanoelectro..." refers methods in this paper
...By analysis of the dependence of ΔEp on scan rate [72], and use of suitable working curves [73], smaller k°app values are obtained and converted to larger k° by use of Eq....
[...]
857 citations
"Bioelectroanalysis with nanoelectro..." refers methods in this paper
...This method has also been applied to arrays of nanoelectrodes in which the nanodiscs are used both for transduction of the signal and adsorption of the active biomolecules [82]....
[...]
733 citations
"Bioelectroanalysis with nanoelectro..." refers background in this paper
...[71], and to more recent theoretical models [63–65], an NEE behaves as a partially blocked electrode (PBE) whose Fig....
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699 citations
"Bioelectroanalysis with nanoelectro..." refers background or methods in this paper
...This is because, for NEEs, operating under total overlap diffusion conditions, the Faradaic current (IF) is proportional to the total geometric area of the ensemble exposed to the sample solution (Ageom, area of the nanodiscs plus insulator area) whereas the double layer capacitive current (IC), which is the main component of the noise in electroanalytical chemistry, is proportional to the nanodisc area only (active area, Aact) [17]....
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...Total overlap diffusion is usually observed for NEEs fabricated from commercially available track-etchedmembranes [17]....
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...The “electroanalytical story” of NEEs is longer (starting from 1995 [17]) and, therefore, richer with examples of bioanalytical applications....
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...An important feature characterizing NEEs and NEAs is that their responses are very sensitive to electron-transfer kinetics [17]....
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...The first template synthesis of NEEs for electrochemical use was described by Menon and Martin [17] who deposited gold nanofibres with a diameter as small as 10 nm within the pores of track-etched polycarbonate (PC) membranes by a chemical (electroless) method and obtained a random ensemble ofmetal nanodisc electrodes surrounded by the insulating polymer....
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Frequently Asked Questions (16)
Q2. What are the future works in "Bioelectroanalysis with nanoelectrode ensembles and arrays" ?
An alternative approach is the possibility of immobilizing the biorecognition layer on the insulating polymer which surrounds the nanoelectrodes, rather than on the nanoelectrodes themselves. Future research effort should be devoted to the development of singly addressable electrodes or of groups of nanoelectrodes. The possibility of moving from current NEEs/ NEAs ( inwhich all nanoelectrodes are interconnected ) tomore sophisticated nanoelectrode systems, in which multiple analyte determination is achieved, and the extrememiniaturization of such devices, would be particularly suitable for sensors to be used in bioanalysis, both for “ in vitro ” and “ in vivo ” analysis.
Q3. What is the main idea behind the use of a templated synthesis?
Membrane-templated synthesis is based on the idea that the pores of a host material can be used as a template to direct the growth of new materials.
Q4. How can the authors achieve growth of the metal fibres?
Growth of the metal fibres can be achieved by use of both electrochemical [21, 22] or electroless [17, 23, 24] methods of deposition.
Q5. Why is the IF proportional to the area of the ensemble exposed to the sample?
This is because, for NEEs, operating under total overlap diffusion conditions, the Faradaic current (IF) is proportional to the total geometric area of the ensemble exposed to the sample solution (Ageom, area of the nanodiscs plus insulator area) whereas the double layer capacitive current (IC), which is the maincomponent of the noise in electroanalytical chemistry, is proportional to the nanodisc area only (active area, Aact) [17].
Q6. What is the advantage of NEAs for bioanalytical applications?
The improved S/N ratio typical of NEEs makes them particularly suitable for direct determination of electroactive species at low concentrations.
Q7. Why is the NEAs used for bioanalytical applications so often recessed?
it is worth stressing that, because of the nanolithographic process itself, quite often the nanoelectrodes obtained are slightly recessed, so that theoretical model for such geometry must be taken into account [50, 55].
Q8. What are some recent examples of bioelectroanalytical applications of nanostructure?
These include use of nanoelectrode arrays and/or ensembles for direct electrochemical analysis of pharmacologically active organic compounds or redox proteins, and the development of functionalized nanoelectrode systems and their use as catalytic or affinity electrochemical biosensors.
Q9. What is the process of forming a PC-based nanoelectrode?
These PC-based nanoelectrodes are fabricated by patterning arrays of holes in a thin film of PC spin-coated on a gold layer on Si–Si3N4 substrate.
Q10. What is the simplest way to make a PC-based nanoelectrode?
These holes can be used as recessed nanoelectrodes, and by further electrochemical deposition of gold, it is possible to fill the holes partially or totally to obtain arrays of inlaid nanodisc electrodes (Fig. 6).
Q11. What is the main idea behind the use of a templated ensemble of nanoelectrod?
The first template synthesis of NEEs for electrochemical use was described by Menon and Martin [17] who deposited gold nanofibres with a diameter as small as 10 nm within the pores of track-etched polycarbonate (PC) membranes by a chemical (electroless) method and obtained a random ensemble ofmetal nanodisc electrodes surrounded by the insulating polymer.
Q12. How is the analyte deposited on the surface of the gold nanowires?
In this approach the analyte is adsorbed on the surface of the gold nanowires and analysed directly by SWV, resulting in an LOD as low as 8.9×10−8molL−1 (S/N=3) [84].
Q13. What is the way to measure the amount of biomolecules on nanowires?
Alternative designs: gold nanoparticles on NEEsUse of etched 3D NEEs to increase the amounts of biomolecules adsorbed on gold nanowire surfaces proved to be a viable process, although with the drawback of an increase of the capacitive current and, consequently, an increase of the S/N ratio [9].
Q14. What is the difference between NEEs and conventional electrodes?
Because the main advantage of NEEs over conventional macro (mm-sized) or even ultramicro (μm-sized) electrodes is a dramatic lowering of double-layer capacitive currents [17, 69], if it is not possible to directly characterize the morphology of the electrodes, the lack of this characteristic should be taken into account to discriminate well-prepared from defective NEEs.
Q15. What is the drawback of etching the polymer?
One way of reducing this drawback has recently been proposed [88]—increasing the nanoelectrode area not by etching the templating polymer but depositing gold nanoparticles on the gold nanodisc electrodes.
Q16. What is the simplest way to make a PC-based array of nanoelectrod?
As shown in Fig. 5, because the properties of PC enable its use as a high-resolution e-beam resist, it is possible to obtain a perfectly ordered array of nano-holes, of controlled diameter, as small as 50 nm [55].