Submit to Polymers Review for Polymers Propose a Special Issue

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Polymeric Biosensors: Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2023) | Viewed by 21108

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Naseem Abbas

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
Interests: micro/nano fabrication; polymer imprinting; biomarkers detection; plasmonics; metal enhanced fluorescence; SPR; LSPR; high signal to noise ratio; microfluidic channels; pathogens detection; DNA hydrogel formation; ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) polymer material

Dr. Haider Abbas

E-Mail
Guest Editor

Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791, Republic of Korea
Interests: memristor; neuromorphic computing; in memory computing; RRAM; resistive switching
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Mohsin Ali Badshah

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
Interests: nano/micromanufacturing; PVD; nanotechnology; thin-film materials and coatings; surface engineering; sensing devices
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Special Issue is open to valuable contributions in the field of micro-/nano-structure-based polymeric gas and biosensors. The Special Issue will cover the fundamentals of the design and fabrication of gas and biosensors through various techniques, such as physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, electrodeposition, thermal oxidation, and casting. It will disseminate research on recent developments in micro-/nano-fabrication techniques and microarray technologies that have led to the development of miniaturized, fully integrated solid-phase analytical instruments capable of performing complete experiments, high-throughput screening, and multiplex diagnostic detection. They include the whole analytical process (time, sample, reagent volumes, accuracy, and costs, etc.) being scaled down while retaining a very high sensitivity. In order to optimize the probe immobilization and target-binding performance, to minimize background noise, and prevent non-specific molecular interaction, the aforementioned surfaces must be perfectly designed and regulated, given their small dimensions. Although micro-/nano-technology-based surfaces overcome many issues regarding bio and gas sensing, more work is still needed in order to improve challenges such as process control; cost; material integrity; their stability, storage conditions, and shelf life; sensitivity; limit of detection; uniform detection range throughout; high surface area; and simultaneous detection with higher specific detection.

Therefore, we would like to invite researchers worldwide to submit their original research, short communication, concepts, and review articles covering the theoretical and experimental aspects of micro-/nano-structure-based polymeric gas and biosensors; their sustainable manufacturing with advanced materials, methods, properties, and devices; and their applications. This Special Issue will cover, but is not limited to, the following aspects of micro-/nano-structure-based polymeric gas and biosensors:

Microarray technology-based sensors
MEMS/NEMS for flexible sensors
Surface modifications for improvement of the sensor’s performance
Healthcare monitoring and diagnosis applications of sensors
Stretchable/flexible sensors
Chemical functionalization for enhancement of biomolecules interactions
Mechanical and tribological properties of biomaterials
Recent trends in the development and advancement of fabrication methods
Molecularly imprinted polymers
Characterization and applications

Dr. Naseem Abbas
Dr. Haider Abbas
Dr. Mohsin Ali Badshah
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

micro-/nano-fabrication methods
microarray technology
micro-/nano-structures
biosensors
virus detection
biomarkers detections
gas sensors
flexible sensor

Published Papers (9 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

Jump to: Review

13 pages, 4162 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of an Immunocapture-Based Polymeric Optical Fiber Sensor for Bacterial Detection in Water

by Rafaela Nascimento Lopes, Paulo Henrique Silva Pinto, Juan David Lopez Vargas, Alex Dante, Andrew Macrae, Regina Célia Barros Allil and Marcelo Martins Werneck

Polymers 2024, 16(6), 861; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym16060861 - 21 Mar 2024

Viewed by 528

Abstract

Conventional methods for pathogen detection in water rely on time-consuming enrichment steps followed by biochemical identification strategies, which require assay times ranging from 24 hours to a week. However, in recent years, significant efforts have been made to develop biosensing technologies enabling rapid and close-to-real-time detection of waterborne pathogens. In previous studies, we developed a plastic optical fiber (POF) immunosensor using an optoelectronic configuration consisting of a U-Shape probe connected to an LED and a photodetector. Bacterial detection was evaluated with the immunosensor immersed in a bacterial suspension in water with a known concentration. Here, we report on the sensitivity of a new optoelectronic configuration consisting of two POF U-shaped probes, one as the reference and the other as the immunosensor, for the detection of Escherichia coli. In addition, another methos of detection was tested where the sensors were calibrated in the air, before being immersed in a bacterial suspension and then read in the air. This modification improved sensor sensitivity and resulted in a faster detection time. After the immunocapture, the sensors were DAPI-stained and submitted to confocal microscopy. The histograms obtained confirmed that the responses of the immunosensors were due to the bacteria. This new sensor detected the presence of E. coli at 10⁴ CFU/mL in less than 20 min. Currently, sub-20 min is faster than previous studies using fiber-optic based biosensors. We report on an inexpensive and faster detection technology when compared with conventional methods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymeric Biosensors: Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 2045 KiB

Open AccessArticle

High-Resolution, Transparent, and Flexible Printing of Polydimethylsiloxane via Electrohydrodynamic Jet Printing for Conductive Electronic Device Applications

by Rizwan Ul Hassan, Shaheer Mohiuddin Khalil, Saeed Ahmed Khan, Shahzaib Ali, Joonkyeong Moon, Dae-Hyun Cho and Doyoung Byun

Polymers 2022, 14(20), 4373; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym14204373 - 17 Oct 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2213

Abstract

In the field of soft electronics, high-resolution and transparent structures based on various flexible materials constructed via various printing techniques are gaining attention. With the support of electrical stress-induced conductive inks, the electrohydrodynamic (EHD) jet printing technique enables us to build high-resolution structures compared with conventional inkjet printing techniques. Here, EHD jet printing was used to fabricate a high-resolution, transparent, and flexible strain sensor using a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)/xylene elastomer, where repetitive and controllable high-resolution printed mesh structures were obtained. The parametric effects of voltage, flow rate, nozzle distance from the substrate, and speed were experimentally investigated to achieve a high-resolution (5 µm) printed mesh structure. Plasma treatment was performed to enhance the adhesion between the AgNWs and the elastomer structure. The plasma-treated functional structure exhibited stable and long strain-sensing cycles during stretching and bending. This simple printing technique resulted in high-resolution, transparent, flexible, and stable strain sensing. The gauge factor of the strain sensor was significantly increased, owing to the high resolution and sensitivity of the printed mesh structures, demonstrating that EHD technology can be applied to high-resolution microchannels, 3D printing, and electronic devices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymeric Biosensors: Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

11 pages, 14422 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Highly Sensitive Liquid M-Z Waveguide Sensor Based on Polymer Suspended Slot Waveguide Structure

by Jiachen Han, Xihan Wu, Xuyang Ge, Yuqi Xie, Guoming Song, Lu Liu and Yunji Yi

Polymers 2022, 14(19), 3967; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym14193967 - 22 Sep 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1514

Abstract

The slot structure has great advantages in improving the sensitivity of integrated waveguide optical sensors and reducing the detection limit. We propose a polymer Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) optical sensor based on the slot structure and adopted the suspended structure to improve optical field interaction with the analyte, hence boosting the sensor’s sensing accuracy. In this paper, the effects of the single waveguide width, slot width, and coupling structure of the slot waveguide on the performance of the sensor operating at a 1550 nm wavelength were analyzed. Under the premise of satisfying single-mode transmission, we designed an MZI with a branch spacing of 10 µm, arm length of 2045 µm, branch span of 700 µm, and slot region of 500 µm. The sensor’s average sensitivity was 972.1 dB/RIU, and its average detection resolution was 1.6 × 10⁻⁶ RIU, which is approximately 1.5 times higher than that of the suspended strip waveguide, 1.6 times higher than that of the non-suspended slot structure, and 2.1 times higher than that of the non-suspended strip waveguide. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymeric Biosensors: Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 6094 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ternary Electrical Memory Devices Based on Polycarbazole: SnO₂ Nanoparticles Composite Material

by Yingna Zhang, Feng Dou, Yijia Zhou, Xiaofeng Zhao, Jiangshan Chen, Cheng Wang and Shuhong Wang

Polymers 2022, 14(7), 1494; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym14071494 - 06 Apr 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1773

Abstract

In this paper, a D–A polymer (PIB) containing carbazole as the donor group in the main chain and benzimidazole benzisoindolinone as the acceptor group was synthesized by Suzuki reaction. The Suzuki reaction, also known as the Suzuki coupling reaction, is a relatively new organic coupling reaction in which aryl or alkenyl boronic acids or boronic acid esters react with chlorine, bromine, iodoaromatic hydrocarbons or alkenes under the catalysis of zerovalent palladium complexes cross-coupling. A series of devices were fabricated by a spin-coating approach, and the devices all exhibited ternary resistance switching storage behavior. Among them, the composite device with the mass fraction of SnO₂ NPs of 5 wt% has the best storage performance, with a threshold voltage of −0.4 V and a switching current ratio of 1:10^1.5:10^4.5. At the same time, the current of the device remained stable after a 3-h test. Furthermore, after 10³ cycles, the current has no obvious attenuation. The device has good stability and continuity. Moreover, the conduction mechanism is further revealed. Inorganic nanoparticle composite devices have splendid memory performances and exhibit underlying application significance in storing data. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymeric Biosensors: Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

12 pages, 1654 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Electro-Optical Biosensor Based on Embedded Double-Monolayer of Graphene Capacitor in Polymer Technology

by Ary V. R. Portes, Ana J. L. Martins, Jesus Alvarez Guerrero, Mauricio M. Carvalho, Ferney O. Amaya-Fernandez, Lúcia A. M. Saito and Jhonattan C. Ramirez

Polymers 2021, 13(20), 3564; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13203564 - 15 Oct 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1625

Abstract

In this work, we present an interferometric polymer-based electro-optical device, integrated with an embedded double-monolayer graphene capacitor for biosensing applications. An external voltage across the capacitor applies an electric field to the graphene layers modifying their surface charge density and the Fermi level position in these layers. This in turn changes the electro-optic properties of the graphene layers making absorption in the waveguide tunable with external voltages. Simultaneously, it is possible to appreciate that this phenomenon contributes to the maximization of the light-graphene interaction by evanescent wave in the sensing area. As a result, it is obtained large phase changes at the output of the interferometer, as a function of small variations in the refractive index in the cladding area, which significantly increasing the sensitivity of the device. The optimum interaction length obtained was 1.24 cm considering a cladding refractive index of 1.33. An absorption change of 129 dB/mm was demonstrated. This result combined with the photonic device based on polymer technology may enable a low-cost solution for biosensing applications in Point of Care (PoC) platform. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymeric Biosensors: Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

13 pages, 2568 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Conductometric Immunosensor for Escherichia coli O157:H7 Detection Based on Polyaniline/Zinc Oxide (PANI/ZnO) Nanocomposite

by Sawsan Mutlaq, Borhan Albiss, Anas A. Al-Nabulsi, Ziad W. Jaradat, Amin N. Olaimat, Mohammad S. Khalifeh, Tareq Osaili, Mutamed M. Ayyash and Richard A. Holley

Polymers 2021, 13(19), 3288; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13193288 - 26 Sep 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2643

Abstract

A conductometric immunosensor was developed for the detection of one of the most common foodborne pathogens, Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli O157:H7), by conductometric sensing. The sensor was built based on a polyaniline/zinc oxide (PANI/ZnO) nanocomposite film spin-coated on a gold electrode. Then, it was modified with a monoclonal anti-E. coli O157:H7 antibody as a biorecognition element. The fabricated nanostructured sensor was able to quantify the pathogens under optimal detection conditions, within 30 min, and showed a good detection range from 10¹ to 10⁴ CFU/mL for E. coli O157:H7 and a minimum detection limit of 4.8 CFU/mL in 0.1% peptone water. The sensor efficiency for detecting bacteria in food matrices was tested in ultra-heat-treated (UHT) skim milk. E. coli O157:H7 was detected at concentrations of 10¹ to 10⁴ CFU/mL with a minimum detection limit of 13.9 CFU/mL. The novel sensor was simple, fast, highly sensitive with excellent specificity, and it had the potential for rapid sample processing. Moreover, this unique technique for bacterial detection could be applicable for food safety and quality control in the food sector as it offers highly reliable results and is able to quantify the target bacterium. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymeric Biosensors: Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 11768 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design and Fabrication of a Fast Response Resistive-Type Humidity Sensor Using Polypyrrole (Ppy) Polymer Thin Film Structures

by Mushahid Hussain, Saqib Hasnain, Nadir Ali Khan, Shehar Bano, Fazeelat Zuhra, Muhammad Ali, Munawar Khan, Naseem Abbas and Ahsan Ali

Polymers 2021, 13(18), 3019; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13183019 - 07 Sep 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3600

Abstract

In this research article, an organic polymer based polypyrrole (Ppy) composite material has been synthesized and analyzed for the design and fabrication purposes of a fast-responsive, highly sensitive, and an economical resistive-type novel humidity detection sensor. This humidity sensor most suitably serves the purpose for industrial humidity (i.e., values ranging from low to high) detection applications. First, a polypyrrole composite material (a mixture of polypyrrole, polypyrrole-NiO, polypyrrole-CeO₂, and polypyrrole-Nb₂O₅) has been synthesized by chemical oxidative polymerization method, and then is treated at various temperatures, i.e., 100, 150 and 200 °C, respectively. After this treatment, the synthesized samples were then characterized by using FTIR, SEM, and DTA/TGA techniques for analyzing humidity sensing properties. The polypyrrole samples with the best morphological structure and properties were then incorporated on interdigitated electrodes. For the fabrication purposes of this thin film structure, at first a few drops of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were placed over interdigitated electrodes (IDE) and then the synthesized polypyrrole composite was uniformly deposited in the form of a thin film over it. The plots show that this is a good resistive-type humidity detection device for the relative humidity range of 30% to 90%. The response and recovery times of this newly fabricated humidity sensor were reported to be the same as 128 s at room temperature. Additionally, the stability and the repeatability response behavior of this Ppy sensor were verified up to five cycles of multiple repetitions. This presents an excellent stability and repeatability performance of the sensor. Furthermore, the capacitances versus humidity response and recovery properties of the designed sensor were studied too. This illustrates an excellent capacitive verses humidity response and shows a linear and an active behavior. Lastly, the experimental result proves that polypyrrole composite thin film shows a reasonable best performance up to a temperature of 100 °C. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymeric Biosensors: Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research

19 pages, 2179 KiB

Open AccessReview

Biochemical Interactions through Microscopic Techniques: Structural and Molecular Characterization

by Hassan Nezammahalleh, Faezeh Ghanati, Shima Rezaei, Mohsin Ali Badshah, Joobee Park, Naseem Abbas and Ahsan Ali

Polymers 2022, 14(14), 2853; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym14142853 - 13 Jul 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1808

Abstract

Many researchers and scientists have contributed significantly to provide structural and molecular characterizations of biochemical interactions using microscopic techniques in the recent decade, as these biochemical interactions play a crucial role in the production of diverse biomaterials and the organization of biological systems. The properties, activities, and functionalities of the biomaterials and biological systems need to be identified and modified for different purposes in both the material and life sciences. The present study aimed to review the advantages and disadvantages of three main branches of microscopy techniques (optical microscopy, electron microscopy, and scanning probe microscopy) developed for the characterization of these interactions. First, we explain the basic concepts of microscopy and then the breadth of their applicability to different fields of research. This work could be useful for future research works on biochemical self-assembly, biochemical aggregation and localization, biological functionalities, cell viability, live-cell imaging, material stability, and membrane permeability, among others. This understanding is of high importance in rapid, inexpensive, and accurate analysis of biochemical interactions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymeric Biosensors: Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 3138 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Progress, Challenges, and Trends in Polymer-Based Sensors: A Review

by Mir Waqas Alam, Shahidul Islam Bhat, Hassan S. Al Qahtani, Muhammad Aamir, Muhammad Nasir Amin, Mohd Farhan, Sara Aldabal, Muhammad Shuaib Khan, Ishtiaq Jeelani, Allah Nawaz and Basma Souayeh

Polymers 2022, 14(11), 2164; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym14112164 - 26 May 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2797

Abstract

Polymers are long-chain, highly molecular weight molecules containing large numbers of repeating units within their backbone derived from the product of polymerization of monomeric units. The materials exhibit unique properties based on the types of bonds that exist within their structures. Among these, some behave as rubbers because of their excellent bending ability, lightweight nature, and shape memory. Moreover, their tunable chemical, structural, and electrical properties make them promising candidates for their use as sensing materials. Polymer-based sensors are highly utilized in the current scenario in the public health sector and environment control due to their rapid detection, small size, high sensitivity, and suitability in atmospheric conditions. Therefore, the aim of this review article is to highlight the current progress in polymer-based sensors. More importantly, this review provides general trends and challenges in sensor technology based on polymer materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymeric Biosensors: Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications)

► Show Figures