Sensitivity of diamond-capped impedance transducer to Tröger's base derivative

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2012 Aug;4(8):3860-5. doi: 10.1021/am3005829. Epub 2012 Jul 17.

Abstract

Sensitivity of an intrinsic nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) layer to naphthalene Tröger's base derivative decorated with pyrrole groups (TBPyr) was characterized by impedance spectroscopy. The transducer was made of Au interdigitated electrodes (IDE) with 50 μm spacing on alumina substrate which were capped with the NCD layer. The NCD-capped transducer with H-termination was able to electrically distinguish TBPyr molecules (the change of surface resistance within 30-60 kΩ) adsorbed from methanol in concentrations of 0.04 mg/mL to 40 mg/mL. An exponential decay of the surface resistance with time was observed and attributed to the readsorption of air moisture after methanol evaporation. After surface oxidation the NCD cap layer did not show any leakage due to NCD grain boundaries. We analyzed electronic transport in the transducer and propose a model for the sensing mechanism based on surface ion replacement.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Biosensing Techniques / methods*
  • Crystallization
  • Diamond / chemistry*
  • Dielectric Spectroscopy
  • Electric Conductivity
  • Electric Impedance
  • Electrochemistry / methods
  • Electrodes
  • Electrons
  • Ions
  • Light
  • Methanol / chemistry
  • Models, Chemical
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Oxygen / chemistry
  • Spectrophotometry / methods
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Ions
  • Diamond
  • Oxygen
  • Methanol