Chemical Modification of Carbon Nanotube Based Bio-Nanosensor by Plasma Activation

Abstract

Chemical modification with plasma ion irradiation (plasma activation) is demonstrated on a bio-nanosensor based on poly(ethylene glycol)-grafted single-walled carbon nanotubes (PEG-SWNTs). By X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, peaks that correspond to CO and COOH radicals are observed. In addition, the evaluation of the characteristic responses of the bio-nanosensor using a bovine serum albumin (BSA) antigen or oligonucleotide reveals an increase in impedance due to an antigen–antibody reaction or oligonucleotide hybridization. From these results, the bio-nanosensor is found to react with a short response time (60 s).