Impedance DNA Biosensor Using Electropolymerized Polypyrrole/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Modified Electrode

In this paper, we present an electrochemical impedance‐based DNA biosensor by using a composite material of polypyrrole (PPy) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) to modify glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The polymer film was electropolymerized onto GCE by cyclic voltammetry (CV) in the presence of carboxylic groups ended MWNTs (MWNTs‐COOH). Such electrode modification method is new for DNA hybridization sensor. Amino group ended single‐stranded DNA (NH₂‐ssDNA) probe was linked onto the PPy/MWNTs‐COOH/GCE by using EDAC, a widely used water‐soluble carbodiimide for crosslinking amine and carboxylic acid group. The hybridization reaction of this ssDNA/PPy/MWNTs‐COOH/GCE resulted in a decreased impedance, which was attributed to the lower electronic transfer resistance of double‐stranded DNA than single‐stranded DNA. As the result of the PPy/MWNTs modification, the electrode obtained a good electronic transfer property and a large specific surface area. Consequently, the sensitivity and selectivity of this sensor for biosensing DNA hybridization were improved. Complementary DNA sequence as low as 5.0×10^?12 mol L^?1 can be detected without using hybridization marker or intercalator. Additionally, it was found that the electropolymerization scan rate was an important factor for DNA biosensor fabrication. It has been optimized at 20 mV s^?1.     

Tubular polypyrrole synthesized by in situ doping polymerization in the presence of organic function acids as dopants

Tubular polypyrrole (PPy) could be synthesized by in situ doping polymerization in the presence of β‐naphthalene sulfonic acid (NSA) as dopant. The resultant tubular PPy–NSA not only exhibits high room temperature conductivity (ς_RT = 10 S/cm) but is also soluble in m‐cresol. The molecular structure of PPy–NSA is identical to the characteristic structure of PPy synthesized by a conventional method. It has been demonstrated that NSA dopant with large molecular size and plate–lebe structure is a key factor to control formation of tubular PPy–NSA. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 1443–1449, 1999     

Electroconductive Hydrogels: Electrical and Electrochemical Properties of Polypyrrole‐Poly(HEMA) Composites

Composites of inherently conductive polypyrrole (PPy) within highly hydrophilic poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate)‐based hydrogels (p(HEMA)) have been fabricated and their electrochemical properties investigated. The electrochemical characteristics observed by cyclic voltammetry suggest less facile reduction of PPy within the composite hydrogel compared to electropolymerized PPy, as shown by the shift in the reduction peak potential from ?472 mV for electropolymerized polypyrrole to ?636 mV for the electroconductive composite gel. The network impedance magnitude for the electroconductive hydrogel remains quite low, ca. 100 Ω, even upon approach to DC, over all frequencies and at all offset potentials suggesting retained electronic (bipolaronic) conductivity within the composite. In contrast, sustained application of +0.7 V (vs. Ag/AgCl, 3 M Cl^?) for typically 100 min. (conditioning) to reduce the background amperometric current to <1.0 μA, resulted in complete loss of electroactivity. Nyquist plots suggest that sustained application of such a modest potential to the composite hydrogel results in impedance characteristics that resembles p(HEMA) without evidence of the conducting polymer component. PPy composite gels supported a larger ferrocene monocarboxylate diffusivity (D_appt=7.97×10^?5 cm² s^?1) compared to electropolymerized PPy (D_appt=5.56×10^?5 cm² s^?1), however a marked reduction in diffusivity (D_appt=1.01×10^?5 cm² s^?1) was observed with the conditioned hydrogel composite. Cyclic voltammograms in buffer containing H₂O₂ showed an absence of redox peaks for electrodes coated with PPy‐containing membranes, suggesting possible chemical oxidation of polypyrrole by the oxidant     

Potentiometric Ag+ Sensors Based on Conducting Polymers: A Comparison between Poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) and Polypyrrole Doped with Sulfonated Calixarenes

Potentiometric Ag⁺ sensors were prepared by galvanostatic electropolymerization of 3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) and pyrrole (Py) on glassy carbon electrodes by using sulfonated calixarenes as doping ions. Poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and polypyrrole (PPy) doped with p‐sulfonic calix[4]arene (C4S), p‐sulfonic calix[6]arene (C6S) and p‐sulfonic calix[8]arene (C8S) were compared. PEDOT and PPy doped with poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) were also included for comparison. The analytical performance of the conducting polymer‐based Ag⁺ sensors was studied by potentiometric measurements. All conducting polymer and dopant combinations showed sensitivity and selectivity to Ag⁺ compared to several alkali, alkaline‐earth, and transition‐metal cations. The type of the conducting polymer used for the fabrication of the electrodes was found to have a more significant effect on the selectivity of the electrodes to Ag⁺ than the ring size of the sulfonated calixarenes used as dopants. Selected conducting polymer‐based sensors were studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and energy dispersive analysis of X‐rays (EDAX) measurements. Results from the EDAX measurements show that both PEDOT‐ and PPy‐based membranes accumulate silver.     

A Simple and Novel Electrochemical Sensor Based on Phosphomolybdic‐Polypyrrole Film Modified Electrode for Highly Sensitive Detection of Cholic Acid

A simpe electrochemical sensor for detection of cholic acid (CA) was designed by modifying phosphomolybdate (PMo₁₂) doped polypyrrole (PPy) film on glassy carbon electrode (PMo₁₂‐PPy/GCE). The electrochemical behavior of CA on PMo₁₂‐PPy/GCE was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and 0.5 order differential voltammetry. The results indicated that CA had high inhibitory activity toward the peak currents of PMo₁₂‐PPy/GCE. The reduction peak currents were linearly related to the logarithmic value of the concentration of CA from 1.0×10^?7 to 1.0×10^?3 mol/L with a low detection limit of 1.0×10^?8 mol/L. The developed sensor exhibited excellent sensitivity, selectivity and stability for detection of CA, and it could be successfully applied to detect the level of CA in the urine samples. Moreover, the response mechanism of CA on the PMo₁₂‐PPy/GCE was discussed in detail.     

Polyaniline doped with different sulfonic acids by in situ doping polymerization

Doped polyaniline (PANI) was synthesized by an “in situ doping polymerization” method in the presence of different sulfonic acids, such as methanesulfonic acid (MSA), p‐methylbenzene sulfonic acid (MBSA), β‐naphthalenesulfonic acid (β‐NSA), α‐naphthalenesulfonic acid (α‐NSA), 1,5‐naphthalenedisulfonic acid (1,5‐NSA), and 2,4‐dinitronaphol‐7‐sulfonate acid (NONSA). Morphology, solubility in m‐cresol, and electrical properties of the doped PANI were measured with the variation of the molecular structure of the selected sulfonic acids. Granular morphology was obtained when the sulfonic acids without a naphthalene ring, such as MSA and MBSA, were used. Regular tubular morphology was obtained only when β‐NSA was used. The tubular morphology can be modified by changing the substitutes, the number, and location of sulfo‐group(SOH) on the naphthalene ring. These results indicated that naphthalene ring in the selected sulfonic acids plays an important role in forming the tubular morphology of the doped PANI by the “in situ doping polymerization” method. All resulting PANI salts were soluble in m‐cresol, with the solubility depending on the molecular structure of the selected dopants. Room‐temperature conductivity for the doped PANI ranges from 10⁻¹ to 10⁰S/cm. Temperature dependence of conductivity shows a semiconductor behavior, and it can be expressed by one dimenson Variable Range Hopping (VRH) model. 1 © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 1277–1284, 1999     

Studies on formation mechanism of polypyrrole microtubule synthesized by template‐free method

The influence of the polymerization time and rate as well as the solution's ionic strength on the morphology, conductivity, and molecular structure of the polypyrrole (PPy) microtubule [synthesized by the template‐free method in the presence of β‐naphthalene sulfonic acid (β‐NSA) as the dopant] were investigated. It was found that the formation of the PPy‐NSA microtubule was a slow and self‐assembled growth process. Moreover, the β‐NSA dopant played a “templatelike” role in the formation of tubular PPy‐NSA, which might be relative to its surfactant characters. This assumption was further confirmed by the phenomenon that the morphology of PPy‐NSA could be modified by increasing the ionic strength by adding inorganic salt. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 997–1004, 2001     

Soluble conductive polypyrrole synthesized by in situ doping with β-naphthalene sulphonic acid

Soluble polypyrrole (PPy) with high conductivity (27 S/cm) has been prepared by chemical polymerization of pyrrol monomer in the presence of β-naphthalene sulphonic acid (NSA) as a dopant. The solubility of the resulting conducting polymer of PPy-NSA in m-cresol increases with increasing the concentration of NSA in the polymerization media, and the highest solubility of PPy-NSA in m-cresol is about 1.2 g/100 mL. The room-temperature conductivity of PPy-NSA significantly increases with the concentration of NSA when the concentration of NSA is less than 0.1 mol/L, while it slightly decreases with increasing the concentration of NSA after the concentration of NSA is higher than 0.1 mol/L. UV-VIS spectra and ESR measurements demonstrate that both polaron and bipolaron are present as a charge carrier. The resulting PPy-NSA exhibits unusual fibrillar morphology with a diameter of about 0.5 μm, which is quite different from the granular morphology of PPy doped with dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid (DBSA) and HCl. Moreover, the polymerization conditions greatly influence the morphology of the obtained PPy-NSA. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 3689–3695, 1997     

Amperometric Detection of Histamine with a Pyrroloquinoline‐Quinone Modified Electrode

A modified glassy carbon (GC) electrode was developed for the amperometric detection of biogenic amines, particularly histamine. The electrode was modified with the co‐enzyme pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) by entrapment during electropolymerziation of pyrrole to form polypyrrole (PPy). This method formed a thin film on the electrode surface possessing very good stability with a shelf‐life exceeding one month without loss of signal. Optimal conditions for the PQQ/PPy electrode were determined and a linear response was found for histamine in phosphate buffer (pH 6) at +550 mV from 40 to 170 mg L^?1 with a limit of detection (S/N≥3) of 38 mg L^?1. The practical linear range offered by this method suggests ideal use for spoilage detection in fermented foods.     

Gas Sensing Ability of a Nanostructured Conducting Polypyrrole Film Prepared by Catalytic Electropolymerization on Cu/Au Interdigital Electrodes

Nanostructured conductive polypyrrole has been prepared electrochemically on the surfaces of Cu/Au interdigital electrodes in the presence of Fe(II) as catalyst and ClO₄^? as anion dopant by using constant potential amperometry and cyclic voltammetry. The morphology of the conducting films was examined by field emission scanning electron microscopy, indicating a dependence from the processing technique. The synthesized polymer was used to investigate the properties of the gas sensing ability. The effect of the catalyst concentration on the oxidation mechanism of pyrrole was discussed. The PPy‐ClO₄ gas sensors had demonstrated fast response time and high sensitivity to VOCs.     

Oxidation of a PPy-modified tantalum electrode

A tantalum electrode on which polypyrrole (PPy) had been previously formed by electropolymerization was galvanostatically electrolyzed in an aqueous solution of 0.01 wt% phosphoric acid. This process contains the irreversible oxidation of a PPy film, the decomposition of solvent, and the formation of Ta₂O₅ by the reaction of OH^? coming through the PPy film, with Ta electrodes. A three layer-structure (PPy/Ta₂O₅/Ta) was confirmed by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA). A PPy film containing CIO₄^? as dopant [PPy(CIO₄^?)] was significantly deteriorated in comparison with PPy(TsO^?) at the electrolysis. Therefore, the (PPy(TsO^?)/Ta₂O₅/Ta) system showed better electrical characteristics as a capacitor than the (PPy(CIO₄^?)/Ta₂O₅/Ta) system showed better electrical characteristics as a capacitor than the (PPy(ClO₄^?)/Ta₂O₅/Ta) system.     

Synthesis and characterization of conductive polypyrrole grown on the sulfonated surface of polyethylene films

Chemical synthesis of polypyrrole (PPy) was carried out in the presence of FeCl₃ aqueous solution. The grown PPy is fixed on the sulfonated surface of polyethylene (SPE) films, where the sulfonic groups act as counteranions to balance the positive charge of PPy, giving the composite material of PPy–SPE. For reasons of comparison, two types of polyethylene (PE) have been used, low and high densities with different degrees of sulfonation, SD (g/m²), defined as the ratio of weight increase to the area of the two surfaces of the sample. A series of reaction times was used to evaluate the variation of the electrical conductivity, σ (S/cm), of polypyrrole. It was found that σ increases as reaction time increases. To characterize the samples, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and conductivity measurements were performed.     

A Sensitive Electrochemical Sensor Based on Graphene Oxide Nanosheets Decorated by Fe3O4@Au Nanostructure Stabilized on Polypyrrole for Efficient Triclosan Sensing

Triclosan is broadly utilized as preservative or antiseptic in various cosmetic and personal care products. It becomes hazardous for environmental safety and human health more than a certain concentration. In this research, graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets were prepared by composing Fe₃O₄@Au nanostructure decorated GO together with polypyrrole (PPy) (Fe₃O₄@Au‐PPy/GO nanocomposite) in a facile way. The composite excellent increased the electrochemical response, presenting a high sensitive electrochemical method for triclosan detection. The synthesized Fe₃O₄@Au‐PPy/GO nanocomposite was characterized for its morphological, magnetically and structural properties by FESEM‐mapping, TEM, and XRD. The Fe₃O₄@Au‐PPy/GO nanocomposites modified glassy carbon electrodes (GCE), Fe₃O₄@Au‐PPy/GO GCE, showed a higher sensitivity good stability, reproducibility, lower LOD (2.5×10^?9 M) and potential practical application in electrochemical detection of triclosan under optimized experimental conditions.     

Synthesis and characterization of polypyrrole nanofibers with different dopants

Nanostructures of polypyrrole (PPy) were synthesized in the presence of different dopants including hydrochloric acid (HCl), ferric chloride (FeCl₃), p‐toluene sulfonic acid (p‐TSA), camphor sulfonic acid (CSA), and polystyrene sulfonic acid (PSSA), using a simple interfacial oxidative polymerization method. The method is a reliable non‐template approach with relatively simple instrumentation, ease of synthesis, and economic viability for synthesizing PPy nanostructures. Morphology of synthesized PPy structures was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which indicate the formation of one‐dimensional (1D) nanofibers with average diameter of 75–180 nm. Energy dispersive spectrum (EDS) of the PPy nanofibers indicates the attachment of the dopants to the PPy backbone; the fact is further confirmed by the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of PPy nanostructures. Thermal stabilities of the nanostructures explored using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) follow the order PPy‐p‐TSA > CSA > HCl > FeCl₃ > PSSA. It is noticed that the electrical conductivity (EC) of PPy nanostructures depends upon the nature of dopant (PPy‐p‐TSA > CSA > HCl > FeCl₃ > PSSA), PPy‐p‐TSA nanofibers showing the highest EC of 6 × 10^?2 Scm^?1. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Direct Electrochemistry of Hemoglobin Entrapped in Composite Electrodeposited Chitosan‐Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes and Nanogold Particles Membrane and Its Electrocatalytic Application

Hemoglobin was entrapped in composite electrodeposited chitosan‐multiwall carbon nanotubes (MCNTs) film by assembling gold nanoparticles and hemoglobin step by step. In phosphate buffer solution (pH 7), a pair of well‐defined and quasireversible redox peaks appeared with formal potential at ?0.289 V and peak separation of 100 mV. The redox peaks respected for the direct electrochemistry of hemoglobin at the surface of chitosan‐MCNTs‐gold nanoparticles modified electrode. The parameters of experiments have also been optimized. The composite electrode showed excellent electrocatalysis to peroxide hydrogen and oxygen, the peak current was linearly proportional to H₂O₂ concentration in the range from 1×10^?6 mol/L to 4.7×10^?4 mol/L with a detection limit of 5.0×10^?7 mol/L, and this biosensor exhibited high stability, good reproducibility and better selectivity. The biosensor showed a Michaelis–Menten kinetic response as H₂O₂ concentration is larger than 5.0×10^?4 mol/L, the apparent Michaelis–Menten constant for hydrogen peroxide was calculated to be 1.61 μmol/L.     

Direct Electrochemistry and Electrocatalysis of Hemoglobin/ZnO‐Chitosan/nano‐Au Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode

The highly efficient H₂O₂ biosensor was fabricated on the basis of the complex films of hemoglobin (Hb), nano ZnO, chitosan (CHIT) dispersed solution and nano Au immobilized on glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Biocompatible ZnO‐CHIT composition provided a suitable microenvironment to keep Hb bioactivity (Michaelis‐Menten constant of 0.075 mmol L^?1). The presence of nano Au in matrix could effectively enhance electron transfer between Hb and electrode. The electrochemical behaviors and effects of solution pH values were carefully examined in this paper. The (ZnO‐CHIT)‐Au‐Hb/GCE demonstrated excellently electrocatalytical ability for H₂O₂. This biosensor had a fast response to H₂O₂ less than 4 s and excellent linear relationships were obtained in the concentration range from1.94×10^?7 to 1.73×10^?3 mol L^?1 with the detection limit of 9.7×10^?8 mol L^?1 (S/N=3) under the optimum conditions. Moreover, the stability and reproducibility of this biosensor were evaluated with satisfactory results.     

Polypyrrole Bilayers: Charge Trapping and Application for Amperometric Ions Sensing

Bilayers composed of polypyrrole: doped by perchlorate ions (PPy(ClO₄) – anion exchanging inner layer) and by dodecyl sulfate ions (PPy(DS) – cation exchanging outer layer) are very effective charge trapping systems that are usually not observed for other bilayers comprised of polypyrrole. Chronopotentiometric experiments carried out for oxidation and reduction showed that the trapping effect in the inner layer resulted from different ion exchange properties of the component polymers, leading to a low permeability of the reduced outer layer towards anions. Estimated diffusion coefficients of Cl^? anions in the oxidized and reduced PPy(DS) are in the range of 10^?9 and lower than 10^?10 cm² s^?1, respectively. The presence of the outer layer limiting the ion transfer was found to be beneficial to improve the signal resolution in amperometric mode of ion sensing within wide KCl concentration range, from 10^?5 M up to 3 M. The influence of experimental conditions (film thickness, response time) on optimization of this novel kind of polymeric bilayer ion sensors was studied.     

A Selective Cholesterol Biosensor Based on Composite Film Modified Electrode for Amperometric Detection

An amperometric cholesterol biosensor based on immobilization of cholesterol oxidase in a Prussian blue (PB)/polypyrrole (PPy) composite film on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode was fabricated. Hydrogen peroxide produced by the enzymatic reaction was catalytically reduced on the PB film electrode at 0 V with a sensitivity of 39 μA (mol/L)^?1. Cholesterol in the concentration range of 10^?5 ? 10^?4 mol/L was determined with a detection limit of 6 × 10^?7 mol/L by amperometric method. Normal coexisting compounds in the bio‐samples such as ascorbic acid and uric acid do not interfere with the determination. The excellent properties of the sensor in sensitivity and selectivity are attributed to the PB/PPy layer modified on the sensor.     

Study on the preparation and multiproperties of the polypyrrole films doped with different ions

Conducting polypyrrole (PPy) films doped with p‐toluene solfonate (pTS^?), perchlorate (ClO₄^?) and polyphosphate (PP^?) were electrochemically synthesized on the stainless steel SS‐304 and the Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) glass substrates successfully. The conducting polymer composite films were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectra, integrated thermal analysis system and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Four‐point probe measurements and in situ nanotribolab system equipped with a nanoscale electrical contact resistance package were employed to analyze their electrical and mechanical properties. Results indicate that the film doped with PP^? ion showed the best thermal stability. For the ClO₄^? ion doped films, the glass transition occurred at 274.8 °C. The pTS^? ion doped film on the SS‐304 steel had a good conductivity, and there was a voltage barrier that ranged from ?1.25 to 1.9 V according to the current–voltage curves. Nanoindentation tests show that the mechanical properties of the PPy/pTS^? film and the PPy/PP^? film were better than that of PPy/ClO₄^? films. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.