(286e) Self-Assembly of 3D Graphene/Carbon Nanotube Electrodes Via Electrostatic Polyanion Coordination for Biosensor Applications

Self-Assembly of 3D Graphene/Carbon Nanotube Electrodes Via Electrostatic Polyanion-Metal Nanoparticle Coordination for Biosensor Applications

Enoch A. Nagelli*, An B. Vu, Kamil Woronowicz, F. John Burpo, Alexander N. Mitropoulos
Department of Chemistry & Life Science
United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996
*Corresponding PI: Dr. Enoch Nagelli, Email: enoch.nagelli@usma.edu
The design, synthesis, and assembly of 2D graphene sheets with 1D carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can result in 3D nanostructures which can lead to the development of new biological/chemical sensors. Therefore, we developed a scalable aqueous solution-based process using poly(acrylic) acid (PAA)/CNT/graphene composite for advanced ultra-lightweight nanocomposites that are mechanically configurable and highly conductive. Using electrostatic self-assembly, we demonstrate an easy and scalable way to bind PAA/CNT composites with graphene oxide-coordinated Ni2+. The negative charge of many of the side chains of PAA in neutral pH water electrostatically bind with the Ni2+/graphene oxide to result in a polyelectrolyte-stabilized 3D carbon nanomaterial with a Ni2+ junction. This resulting 3D nanostructure is chemically reduced with sodium borohydride to form an all conductive polyelectrolyte/CNT-Ni nanoparticle –graphene composite. Therefore, our efforts are to contribute to the fundamental understanding of how specific carbon nanomaterials and metal nanoparticles and the combination of both can alter electronic band structure, doping, and affinity for other nanomaterials to be able to detect chemical and biological agents/analytes as well as transport hole or electrons through the 3D nanostructure.