scholarly journals Graphene Nanoflakes Incorporating Natural Phytochemicals Containing Catechols as Functional Material for Sensors

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 14
Author(s):  
Filippo Silveri ◽  
Flavio Della Pelle ◽  
Daniel Rojas ◽  
Dario Compagnone
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Contact ◽  
Functional Materials ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Intrinsic Conductivity ◽  
Conductive Films ◽  
Graphene Nanoflakes ◽  
Conventional Surfactant ◽  
2D Nanomaterials

Phytochemical products start to be employed to assist 2D nanomaterials exfoliation. However, a lack of studies regarding the molecules involved and their capacity to give rise to functional materials is evident. In this work, a novel green liquid-phase exfoliation strategy (LPE) is proposed, wherein a flavonoid namely catechin (CT) exclusively assists the exfoliation of bulk graphite in conductive water-soluble graphene nanoflakes (GF). Physicochemical and electrochemical methods have been employed to characterize the morphological, structural, and electrochemical features of the GF-CT. Surprisingly, the obtained GF-CT integrates well-defined electroactive quinoid adducts. The resulting few-layers graphene flakes intercalated with CT aromatic skeleton ensure strict electrical contact among graphene sheets, whereas the fully reversible quinoid electrochemistry (ΔE = 28 mV, Ip, a/Ip, c = ~1) is attributed to the residual catechol moieties, which work as an electrochemical mediator. The GF-CT intimate electrochemistry is generated directly during the LPE of graphite, not requiring any modification or electro-polymerization steps, resulting in stable (8 months) and reproducible material. The electrocatalytic activity has been proven towards hydrazine (HY) and β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), a pollutant and a coenzyme, respectively. High sensitivity in extended linear ranges (HY: LOD = 0.1 µM, L.R. 0.5–150 µM; NADH: LOD = 0.6 µM, L.R. 2.5–200 µM) at low overpotential (+0.15 V) was obtained using amperometry, avoiding electrode-fouling. Improved performances, compared with graphite commercial electrodes and graphene exfoliated with a conventional surfactant, were obtained. The GF-CT was successfully used to perform the detection of HY and NADH (recoveries 94–107%, RSD ≤ 8%) in environmental and biological matrices, proving the material exploitability even in challenging analytical applications. On course studies aim to combine the intrinsic conductivity of the GF-CT with flexible substrates, in order to construct flexible electrodes/devices able to house GF-CT-exclusively composed conductive films. In our opinion, the proposed GF-CT elects itself as a cost-effective and sustainable material, particularly captivating in the (bio)sensoristics scenario.

Continuous Process for Large-Area Flexible MEMS

2012 ◽  
Vol 81 ◽  
pp. 9-14
Author(s):  
Toshihiro Itoh
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Spray Deposition ◽  
Continuous Process ◽  
Electrical Contact ◽  
Functional Materials ◽  
Micro Machining ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Conductive Films ◽  
Touch Sensor ◽  
Process System

A novel fabrication process for large area flexible MEMS, having been developed in BEANS project, Japan, is introduced. The process consists of continuously high-speed coating for functional film materials, 3-D nano/micro-machining of the films on fibers, and weaving the functional fibers into large-area integration. In the coating process, functional materials, e.g., organic semiconductor, piezoelectric, conductor and insulator films could be formed on fibers with a speed of 20 m/min. In the 3-D nano/micro-machining, a compound reel-to-reel process system including both thermal roller imprint and photolithography functions was developed. In addition, the microfabrication of the 3-D exposure module and the spray deposition of thin resist films on the fibers were demonstrated. For the weaving assembly, a round-projection microspring contact structure was developed for the electrical contact between weft and warp fibers in a large area of woven textile. Evaluation of the durability showed that the microspring contact structures made of silicon elastomer and PEDOT:PSS are applicable to a movable contact. Weaving assembly process was verified by prototyping 1 × 1 m² or larger flexible touch sensor sheets using functional fibers with organic insulating/conductive films.

scholarly journals Two-Dimensional Layered Nanomaterial-Based Electrochemical Biosensors for Detecting Microbial Toxins

Toxins ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhuheng Li ◽  
Xiaotong Li ◽  
Minghong Jian ◽  
Girma Selale Geleta ◽  
Zhenxin Wang
Keyword(s):  
Homeland Security ◽  
Transition Metal Dichalcogenides ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Electrochemical Biosensors ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Algal Toxins ◽  
2D Nanomaterials ◽  
Microbial Toxins

Toxin detection is an important issue in numerous fields, such as agriculture/food safety, environmental monitoring, and homeland security. During the past two decades, nanotechnology has been extensively used to develop various biosensors for achieving fast, sensitive, selective and on-site analysis of toxins. In particular, the two dimensional layered (2D) nanomaterials (such as graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs)) and their nanocomposites have been employed as label and/or biosensing transducers to construct electrochemical biosensors for cost-effective detection of toxins with high sensitivity and specificity. This is because the 2D nanomaterials have good electrical conductivity and a large surface area with plenty of active groups for conjugating 2D nanomaterials with the antibodies and/or aptamers of the targeted toxins. Herein, we summarize recent developments in the application of 2D nanomaterial-based electrochemical biosensors for detecting toxins with a particular focus on microbial toxins including bacterial toxins, fungal toxins and algal toxins. The integration of 2D nanomaterials with some existing antibody/aptamer technologies into electrochemical biosensors has led to an unprecedented impact on improving the assaying performance of microbial toxins, and has shown great promise in public health and environmental protection.

Jellyfish-like few-layer graphene nanoflakes: high paramagnetic response alongside increased interlayer interaction

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Ulyanov ◽  
Dmitrii Stolbov ◽  
Serguei Savilov
Keyword(s):  
Photoelectron Spectroscopy ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Paramagnetic Centers ◽  
Interlayer Interaction ◽  
Paramagnetic Resonance ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Graphene Nanoflakes ◽  
Few Layer Graphene ◽  
Electron Paramagnetic ◽  
Hydrocarbon Pyrolysis

Abstract Jellyfish-like graphene nanoflakes (GNF), prepared by hydrocarbon pyrolysis, are studied with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) method. The results are supported by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) data. Oxidized (GNFox) and N-doped oxidized (N-GNFox) flakes exhibit an extremely high EPR response associated with a large interlayer interaction which is caused by the structure of nanoflakes and layer edges reached by oxygen. The GNFox and N-GNFox provide the localized and mobile paramagnetic centers which are silent in the pristine (GNF p ) and N-doped (N-GNF) samples. The change in the relative intensity of the line corresponding to delocalized electrons is parallel with the number of radicals in the quaternary N-group. The environment of localized and mobile electrons is different. The results can be important in GNF synthesis and for explanation of their features in applications, especially, in devices with high sensitivity to weak electromagnetic field.

scholarly journals Multiplexed detection of SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory infections in high throughput by SARSeq

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramesh Yelagandula ◽  
◽  
Aleksandr Bykov ◽  
Alexander Vogt ◽  
Robert Heinen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza A ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Massively Parallel ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Viral Spread ◽  
Saliva Analysis ◽  
Double Blinded ◽  
Generation Sequencing

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the need for massively-parallel, cost-effective tests monitoring viral spread. Here we present SARSeq, saliva analysis by RNA sequencing, a method to detect SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses on tens of thousands of samples in parallel. SARSeq relies on next generation sequencing of multiple amplicons generated in a multiplexed RT-PCR reaction. Two-dimensional, unique dual indexing, using four indices per sample, enables unambiguous and scalable assignment of reads to individual samples. We calibrate SARSeq on SARS-CoV-2 synthetic RNA, virions, and hundreds of human samples of various types. Robustness and sensitivity were virtually identical to quantitative RT-PCR. Double-blinded benchmarking to gold standard quantitative-RT-PCR performed by human diagnostics laboratories confirms this high sensitivity. SARSeq can be used to detect Influenza A and B viruses and human rhinovirus in parallel, and can be expanded for detection of other pathogens. Thus, SARSeq is ideally suited for differential diagnostic of infections during a pandemic.

scholarly journals Elucidation of the Crystal Growth Characteristics of SnO2 Nanoaggregates Formed by Sequential Low-Temperature Sol-Gel Reaction and Freeze Drying

Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1738
Author(s):  
Saeid Vafaei ◽  
Alexander Wolosz ◽  
Catlin Ethridge ◽  
Udo Schnupf ◽  
Nagisa Hattori ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crystal Growth ◽  
Low Temperature ◽  
Photoelectron Spectroscopy ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Freeze Drying ◽  
Sno2 Nanoparticles ◽  
Sol Gel ◽  
Functional Materials ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
High Concentration

SnO2 nanoparticles are regarded as attractive, functional materials because of their versatile applications. SnO2 nanoaggregates with single-nanometer-scale lumpy surfaces provide opportunities to enhance hetero-material interfacial areas, leading to the performance improvement of materials and devices. For the first time, we demonstrate that SnO2 nanoaggregates with oxygen vacancies can be produced by a simple, low-temperature sol-gel approach combined with freeze-drying. We characterize the initiation of the low-temperature crystal growth of the obtained SnO2 nanoaggregates using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The results indicate that Sn (II) hydroxide precursors are converted into submicrometer-scale nanoaggregates consisting of uniform SnO2 spherical nanocrystals (2~5 nm in size). As the sol-gel reaction time increases, further crystallization is observed through the neighboring particles in a confined part of the aggregates, while the specific surface areas of the SnO2 samples increase concomitantly. In addition, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements suggest that Sn (II) ions exist in the SnO2 samples when the reactions are stopped after a short time or when a relatively high concentration of Sn (II) is involved in the corresponding sol-gel reactions. Understanding this low-temperature growth of 3D SnO2 will provide new avenues for developing and producing high-performance, photofunctional nanomaterials via a cost-effective and scalable method.

scholarly journals A two-stage amplified PZT sensor for monitoring lung and heart sounds in discharged pneumonia patients

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongbin Chen ◽  
Shuai Yu ◽  
Haiyang Liu ◽  
Jie Liu ◽  
Yongguang Xiao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
High Ratio ◽  
Heart Sounds ◽  
Two Stage ◽  
Diagnosis And Prognosis ◽  
Sensor Device ◽  
Cost Effective Alternative ◽  
A Charge ◽  
Highly Sensitive Detection

AbstractAssessment of lung and heart states is of critical importance for patients with pneumonia. In this study, we present a small-sized and ultrasensitive accelerometer for continuous monitoring of lung and heart sounds to evaluate the lung and heart states of patients. Based on two-stage amplification, which consists of an asymmetric gapped cantilever and a charge amplifier, our accelerometer exhibited an extremely high ratio of sensitivity to noise compared with conventional structures. Our sensor achieves a high sensitivity of 9.2 V/g at frequencies less than 1000 Hz, making it suitable to use to monitor weak physiological signals, including heart and lung sounds. For the first time, lung injury, heart injury, and both lung and heart injuries in discharged pneumonia patients were revealed by our sensor device. Our sound sensor also successfully tracked the recovery course of the discharged pneumonia patients. Over time, the lung and heart states of the patients gradually improved after discharge. Our observations were in good agreement with clinical reports. Compared with conventional medical instruments, our sensor device provides rapid and highly sensitive detection of lung and heart sounds, which greatly helps in the evaluation of lung and heart states of pneumonia patients. This sensor provides a cost-effective alternative approach to the diagnosis and prognosis of pneumonia and has the potential for clinical and home-use health monitoring.

Flexible Fibrous Piezo-Electric Sensor on Printed Silver Electrode

2014 ◽  
Vol 1685 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ho Yeon Son ◽  
Yoon Sung Nam ◽  
Woo Soo Kim
Keyword(s):  
Vinylidene Fluoride ◽  
Silver Nanowires ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Piezoelectric Sensor ◽  
Piezoelectric Sensors ◽  
Mechanical Stimuli ◽  
Aligned Arrays ◽  
Poly Vinylidene Fluoride ◽  
Facile Fabrication

ABSTRACTHere we introduce a facile method to fabricate a flexible piezoelectric sensor using one-dimensional (1-D) piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) nanofibers directly produced onto flexible printed electrodes by electro-spinning without an additional poling process. The flexible silver electrodes are fabricated on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) using silver nanowires by easy and cost-effective spraying deposition. The electrospun PVDF nanofibers have uniaxially aligned arrays on the electrodes by using a rotating collector. The fabricated PVDF piezoelectric sensors demonstrate the piezoelectric responses with repeated mechanical stimuli with good flexibility and high sensitivity. We expect that the facile fabrication of PVDF piezoelectric sensors on flexible printed electrodes can be usefully exploited to integrate the piezoelectric sensors into flexible and stretchable functional electronic devices.

scholarly journals MWCNT Devices Fabricated by Dielectrophoresis: Study of Their Electrical Behavior Related to Deposited Nanotube Amount for Gas Sensing Applications

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-20
Author(s):  
Elisabete Galeazzo ◽  
Marcos C. Moraes ◽  
Henrique E. M. Peres ◽  
Michel O. S. Dantas ◽  
Victor G. C. Lobo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Nanotubes ◽  
Gas Sensing ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Adsorbed Water ◽  
Fast Response ◽  
Process Time ◽  
Electrical Behavior ◽  
Glass Substrates ◽  
Sensing Applications

Intensive research has been focused on investigating new sensing materials, such as carbon nanotubes (CNT) because of their promising characteristics. However, there are challenges related to their application in commercial devices such as sensitivity, compatibility, and complexity of miniaturization, among others. We report the study of the electrical behavior of devices composed by multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) deposited between aluminum electrodes on glass substrates by means of dielectrophoresis (DEP), which is a simple and cost-effective method. The devices were fabricated by varying the DEP process time. Remarkable changes in their electric resistance were noticed depending on the MWCNT quantities deposited. Other electrical properties of devices such as high sensitivity, fast response time and stability are also characterized in humid environment. A humidity sensing mechanism is proposed on the basis of charge transfer between adsorbed water molecules and the MWNTC surface or between water and the glass surface.

scholarly journals Coupling multiplex pre-amplification and droplet digital PCR for longitudinal monitoring ofESR1andPIK3CAmutations from plasma cell-free DNA

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huilan Yao ◽  
Grant Wu ◽  
Subhasree Das ◽  
Crystal MacKenzie ◽  
Hua Gao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Metastatic Breast ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Digital Pcr ◽  
Cost Effective Method ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
High Concordance ◽  
Hotspot Mutations

AbstractHere we report on the development of a sensitive and cost-effective method to longitudinally trackESR1andPIK3CAmutations from cfDNA in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) using a streamlined and de-centralized workflow. Hotspot mutations inESR1have been shown to cause resistance to aromatase inhibitor–based and anti-estrogenic therapies, whilePIK3CAmutations have high prevalence in MBC. As a result, their utility as circulating biomarkers to predict or monitor response in the clinical development of investigational compounds has been the focus of many studies. Six regions inESR1andPIK3CAgenes containing 20 hotspot mutations were pre-amplified, followed by optimized singleplex ddPCR assays to detect allele frequencies of individual mutations. Without pre-amplification, the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of linearity (LOL) of individual ddPCR assays were at 0.05-0.1% and 0.25% level, respectively. With pre-amplification, the LOD and LOL were slightly elevated at 0.1-0.25% and 0.25-0.5% levels, respectively. High concordance was achieved to the BEAMing assay (Sysmex Inostics) for mutation positive assays (r=0.98, P<0.0001). In conclusion, coupling pre-amplification and ddPCR assays allowed us for the detection of up to 20 hot spot mutations inESR1andPIK3CAwith high sensitivity and reproducibility.

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