Electrochemical nanoneedle biosensor based on multiwall carbon nanotube

Abstract

We report the fabrication and analytical functions of a biosensor based on a nanoneedle consisting of a multiwall carbon nanotube attached to the end of an etched tungsten tip. The devised electrode is the smallest needle-type biosensor reported to date. The nanoneedles prepared in this work are 30 nm in diameter and 2-3 microm in length. Dopamine and glutamate, which are physiologically important neurotransmitters, were successfully detected using these nanoneedles. Bare nanoneedles detected dopamine in the range from 100 to 1000 microM by differential pulse voltammetry, and enzyme-modified nanoneedles were able to respond to glutamate in the 100-500 microM range by potentiostatic amperometry.