Publications

2-dimensional materials-based electrical/optical platforms for smart on-off diagnostics applications

Jing Kou, Emily P. Nguyen, Arben Merkoçi and Zhenzhong Guo. 2D Materials
The concept of two-dimensional (2D) materials was first proposed after the first successful separation of graphene, a monoatomic layered material. 2D materials are referred to materials in which electrons can only move freely on the nanoscale in two dimensions, and have expanded to also include the transition metal dichalcogenides...

Inkjet-printed electrochemically reduced graphene oxide microelectrode as a platform for HT-2 mycotoxin immunoenzymatic biosensing

Jiri Kudr, Lei Zhao, Emily P. Nguyen, Henri Arola, Tarja K. Nevanen, Vojtech Adam, Ondrej Zitka, Arben Merkoçi. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 2020
The design and application of an inkjet-printed electrochemically reduced graphene oxide microelectrode for HT-2 mycotoxin immunoenzymatic biosensing is reported. A water-based graphene oxide ink was first formulated and single-drop line working microelectrodes were inkjet-printed onto poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalate) substrates, with...

Lab in a Tube: Point-of-Care detection of Escherichia coli

Niloufar Amin, Amadeo Sena-Torralba, Ruslan Alvarez-Diduk, Abbas Afkhami, Arben Merkoçi. Analytical Chemistry, 2020
Significant levels of infectious diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria are nowadays a worldwide concern implying considerable public healthcare challenges and huge economic detriment. Due to the fast spread of these bio-threat agents and the outbreak of diseases, a rapid detection of pathogens at early stages is crucial, particularly...

Nanomaterials for Nanotheranostics: Tuning Their Properties According to Disease Needs

Xin Yi Wong, Amadeo Sena-Torralba, Ruslan Álvarez-Diduk, Kasturi Muthoosamy, Arben Merkoçi. ACS Nano, 2020
Nanotheranostics is one of the biggest scientific breakthroughs in nanomedicine. Most of the currently available diagnosis and therapies are invasive, time-consuming, and associated with severe toxic side effects. Nanotheranostics, on the other hand, has the potential to bridge this gap by harnessing the capabilities of nanotechnology...

Highly loaded mildly edge‐oxidized graphene nanosheet dispersions for large‐scale inkjet printing of electrochemical sensors

Bhawna Nagar, Milica Jović, Victor Costa Bassetto, Yingdi Zhu, Horst Pick, Pedro Gómez‐Romero, Arben Merkoçi, Hubert H Girault, Andreas Lesch. ChemElectroChem, Vol7(2):460-468
Inkjet printing of electrochemical sensors using a highly loaded mildly edge‐oxidized graphene nanosheet (EOGN) ink is presented. An ink with 30 mg/mL EOGNs is formulated in a mixture of N‐methyl pyrrolidone and propylene glycol with only 30 min of sonication. The absence of additives, such as polymeric stabilizers or surfactants,...

Selective Stamping of Laser Scribed rGO Nanofilms: From Sensing to Multiple Applications

Caterina Giacomelli, Ruslan Álvarez-Diduk, Anna Testolin, Arben Merkoçi. 2D Materials, 2020, Vol 7(2)
A rapid low-cost technology to produce highly conductive laser-scribed reduced-graphene oxide (rGO) thin films on flexible substrates is developed. Isolated rGO films, up to 30 nm thick and with a conductivity of 102 S m−1 are produced at room temperature in a three-step process: filtering the graphene oxide (GO) solution through...

Nano-lantern on paper for smartphone-based ATP detection

Maria Maddalena Calabretta, Ruslan Álvarez-Diduk, Elisa Michelini, Aldo Roda, Arben Merkoçi. Biosensors & Bioelectronics, 2020, Vol 150, pp 1-8
ATP-driven bioluminescence relying on the D-luciferin-luciferase reaction is widely employed for several biosensing applications where bacterial ATP detection allows to verify microbial contamination for hygiene monitoring in hospitals, food processing and in general for cell viability studies. Several ATP kit assays are already...

Electrochromic Molecular Imprinting Sensor for Visual and Smartphone-Based Detections

Denise Capoferri, Ruslan Álvarez-Diduk, Michele del Carlo, Dario Compagnone, Arben Merkoçi. Analytical Chemistry, 2018, 90, 9, 5850-5856
Electrochromic effect and molecularly imprinted technology have been used to develop a sensitive and selective electrochromic sensor. The polymeric matrices obtained using the imprinting technology are robust molecular recognition elements and have the potential to mimic natural recognition entities with very high selectivity. The...

Fully printed one-step biosensing device using graphene/AuNPs composite

Bhawna Nagar, Marc Balsells, Alfredo de la Escosura-Muñiz, Pedro Gomez-Romero, Arben Merkoçi. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 2019, Vol 129, pp 238-244
Driven by the growing need of simple, cost efficient and flexible sensing systems, we have designed here a fully printed Reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO) based impedimetric sensor for one step sensing of DNA. The DNA sensor was fabricated by stamping of layered rGO and rGO/gold nanoparticles/single stranded DNA (rGO/AuNPs/ssDNA) composites...

Iridium oxide (IV) nanoparticle-based lateral flow immunoassay

Daniel Quesada-González, Amadeo Sena-Torralba, Wiyogo Prio Wicaksono, Alfredo de la Escosura-Muñiz, Tribidasari A. Ivandini, Arben Merkoçi. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 2019, Vol 132, pp 132-135,
Lateral flow biosensors are paper-based devices that allow the detection of different types of analytes with quickness, robustness, and selectivity, without leaving behind paper sensors benefits as low-cost, recyclability and sustainability. Nanomaterials have been widely reported in lateral flow biosensors, offering new sensing...