ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Graphene as signal amplifier for preparation of ultrasensitive electrochemical biosensors

Jaroslav Filip, Peter Kasák, and Jan Tkac

Department of Glycobiotechnology, Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 38 Bratislava, Slovakia

E-mail: jan.tkac@savba.sk

Abstract: Early diagnosis of diseases with minimal cost and time-consumption has become achievable due to recent advances in the development of biosensors. These devices use biorecognition elements for the selective interaction with an analyte and the signal read-out is obtained via different types of transducers. The operational characteristics of biosensors have been reported as improving substantially when a diverse range of nanomaterials is employed. This review presents the construction of electrochemical biosensors based on graphene, atomically thin 2D carbon crystals, a nanomaterial currently the subject of intensive studies. Here, the most attractive directions for graphene applications in biosensor preparation are discussed, including novel detection and amplification schemes exploiting graphene’s unique electrochemical, physical and chemical properties. There is probably a very bright future for graphene-based biosensors, but much further work is required to fulfill the high expectations.

Keywords: graphene – biosensors – nanomaterials – electrochemistry – affinity – immunoassays

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1515/chempap-2015-0051

Chemical Papers 69 (1) 112–133 (2015)