Characterization of flexible DNA films

Polymer electrolytes (PEs) are currently the focus of much attention as potential electrolytes in electrochemical devices such as batteries, display devices and sensors. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) as an important biological macromolecule has electric conducting electrochemical properties and unique three dimensional structures. With the goal of developing a new family of environmentally friendly multifunctional biohybrid materials displaying simultaneously high ionic conductivity we have produced in the present work, flexible films based on DNA, incorporating ionic liquids (ILs). Over the last decade ILs have been employed as a new media in electrochemistry and electroanalysis. The materials studied here have been characterized by means of Differential Scanning Calorimetry, Complex Impedance Spectroscopy and Cyclic Voltammetry. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.University of MinhoUniversity of MinhoFundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia [F-COMP-01-0124-FEDER-022716, FCT PEst-C/QUI/UI0686/2011]Fundacao para a Ciencia e TecnologiaFundacao Caloust GulbenkianFundacao Caloust GulbenkianCNPqCNP