Candida albicans/MWCNTs: A Stable Conductive Bio-Nanocomposite and Its Temperature-Sensing Properties

Abstract

A Candida albicans/multiwalled carbon nanotube (Ca/MWCNTs) composite material has been produced. It can be used as a temperature-sensing element operative in a wide temperature range (up to 100 °C). The Ca/MWCNTs composite has excellent linear current–voltage characteristics when combined with coplanar gold electrodes. We used growing cells of C. albicans to structure the CNT-based composite. The fungus C. albicans combined with MWCNTs coprecipitated as an aggregate of cells and nanotubes that formed a viscous material. Microscopic analyses showed that Ca/MWCNTs formed a sort of artificial tissue. Slow temperature cycling was performed up to 12 days showing a stabilization of the temperature response of the material.