Fabrication and characterization of carbon nanotube based biosensor

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are categorized as a new allotrope of carbon from fullerene family, which will revolutionalize the future nanotechnological devices. Its extraordinary chemical, electrical, magnetic, mechanical, physical and thermal properties triggered extensive research activities worldwide. In particular, functionalized CNTs are believed to be very promising in fields such as the preparation of functional and composite materials and biological technologies. CNTs’ unique one-dimensional quantum wires with extremely high surface to volume ratio coupled with their specific recognition properties of the immobilized biosystems makes them an ideal miniaturized biosensor. In this project, CNTs are synthesized onto a piezoelectric membrane based biosensor array for immunoassay. CNTs are first treated with silane solution, followed by the immobilization of biological entities, i.e. goat immunoglobulin (IgG) and blockers and finally anti-goat IgG molecules are immobilized onto the functionalized CNTs’ surfaces for hybridization with goat IgG molecules. The functionalized CNTs of each biomaterial immobilization stage were then dispersed on a sample surface. They will be physically characterized and analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). The resonance frequencies of non CNT and CNT based biosensor across each biomaterial immobilization stage were analyzed to characterize their performance.Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering