Application of carbon nanotubes and electrochemiluminescence to clinical analysis

摘要

The present application is based on the use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) for biomolecular analysis using electrochemiluminescence (ECL) detection technique. For this purpose we have grown self standing cylinder-shaped blocks of multi-wall CNTs (MWCNTs) by means of a catalytic chemical vapour deposition system, fed by gases formed by the co-evaporation of camphor and ferrocene in a nitrogen atmosphere. The resulting structures were subsequently back-contacted and encapsulated into epoxy resin as electrical insulator and sealant, for their use as voltammetric electrodes. A ruthenium-complex solution has been used as ECL label. It has been observed a periodical light emission that lasts for hundreds of cycles, likely due to the intrinsic CNTs structure. Exploiting this behavior, by means of a custom data-processing algorithm, it has been possible to obtain a great increase in the signal response as compared to the common working metal electrodes used in electrochemistry.