Polymer-Functionalized Aligned Carbon Nanotubes for Biological and Chemical Sensing

We have immobilized glucose oxidase (GOX) onto vertically-aligned carbon nanotube arrays by electropolymerization of pyrrole in the presence of GOX as new sensing active materials for making advanced glucose sensors with a high sensitivity. Single-strand DNA chains have also been chemically grafted onto the aligned carbon nanotube electrodes, leading to novel aligned carbon nanotube-DNA sensors of a high sensitivity and selectivity. Furthermore, we have recently developed new thin-film-type chemical vapour sensors by partially coating vertically-aligned carbon nanotube arrays with an appropriate polymer thin film along their tube length. Subsequent absorption and desorption of chemical vapors by the polymer matrix could cause changes in the inter-tube distance, and hence the surface resistance across the nanotube film. Simple measurements of the resistance change, therefore, constituent the nanotube-polymer chemical vapor sensors. These rationally-designed aligned carbon nanotube-polymer composite films are flexible and can be effectively integrated into many systems for a wide rang of potential applications, including their use as multifunctional sensors for sensing chemical vapors, mechanical deformations, thermal and optical exposures. In this talk, I will present some of our work on aligned carbon nanotubes to provide rational concepts for the design and development of polymer-functionalized aligned carbon nanotube arrays for biological and chemical sensing applications.