There are many potential applications for nanostructured surfaces. The aim of this work is making better electrodes for use in bio sensors and biofuel cells. One possible application is implantable medical devices, which could be a valuable tool for diagnosis and treatment of certain deceases, e.g. diabetes. If a biofuel cell could be made to deliver enough power, the signal from a bio sensor could be transmitted wirelessly to a computer capable of analysing and acting in response to the data. [1] Furthermore, if a bio sensor was functional and accurate for long times, an implantable medical device could work for months or longer.

The present approach to this challenge is to develop nanostructured surfaces on electrodes, onto which enzymes can be attached. Since the enzymes catalyze specific reactions, this can be used for sensing of a particular bio molecule. The proposition is that by changing the nanostructures one can improve and/or tailor electrodes for any bio sensing application.

The nanostructured surfaces were prepared by a combination of two techniques: colloidal lithography and glancing angle deposition [2]. This combination allows for control of critical parameters such as porosity, curvature and shape of the nanostructures. An example of nano-scale objects is shown in the figure – gold pillars pertruding from a flat surface. This surface can be of almost any material, and the nano-scale objects uniformly covers large surface areas.

In terms of applications various enzymes will be immobilised on nanostructured surfaces. After changing various surface properties prior to enzyme immobilisation the efficiency of biofuel cells and bio sensors will be determined. This will make it possible to establish which properties are optimal, and it is therefore likely that better electrodes for bio sensing and fuel cells can be developed.

  

[1] C. Gomez, S. Shipovskov and E. E. Ferapontova, J. Renewable Sustainable Energy 2, 013103, (2010)

[2] K. Robbie and M. J. Brett, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 15(3), 1460–1465, (1997)