Research on Temperature-Switched Dopamine Electrochemical Sensor Based on Thermosensitive Polymers and MWCNTs

Haixiu Wang; Zufei Feng; Fupeng Lin; Yan Zhao; Yangfan Hu; Qian Yang; Yiming Zou; Yingjuan Zhao; Rong Yang

doi:10.3390/polym15061465

Research on Temperature-Switched Dopamine Electrochemical Sensor Based on Thermosensitive Polymers and MWCNTs

Polymers (Basel). 2023 Mar 15;15(6):1465. doi: 10.3390/polym15061465.

Authors

Haixiu Wang¹, Zufei Feng¹, Fupeng Lin¹, Yan Zhao¹, Yangfan Hu¹, Qian Yang¹, Yiming Zou¹, Yingjuan Zhao¹, Rong Yang²

Affiliations

¹ School of Science, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China.
² International Research Center for Composite and Intelligent Manufacturing Technology, Institute of Chemical Power Sources, Materials and Engineering College, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China.

Abstract

A temperature-controlled electrochemical sensor was constructed based on a composite membrane composed of temperature-sensitive polymer poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-COOH). The sensor has good temperature sensitivity and reversibility in detecting Dopamine (DA). At low temperatures, the polymer is stretched to bury the electrically active sites of carbon nanocomposites. Dopamine cannot exchange electrons through the polymer, representing an "OFF" state. On the contrary, in a high-temperature environment, the polymer shrinks to expose electrically active sites and increases the background current. Dopamine can normally carry out redox reactions and generate response currents, indicating the "ON" state. In addition, the sensor has a wide detection range (from 0.5 μM to 150 μM) and low LOD (193 nM). This switch-type sensor provides new avenues for the application of thermosensitive polymers.

Keywords: PNIPAM; dopamine; electrochemical sensor.

Grants and funding

This research was funded by Key Programs (2021GY-151, 2023-JC-YB-674) and the Innovation Capability Support Program (2019TD-019), funded by the Science and Technology Department of the Shaanxi Provincial Government; the Key R&D Program of Xianyang Science and Technology Bureau (2021ZDYF-GY-0029); the Natural and Scientific Program (19JK0572, 20JK0804,21JK0798) funded by the Education Department of the Shaanxi Provincial Government.