Abstract
Construction of a fast, easy and sensitive neurotransmitters-based sensor could provide a promising way for the diagnosis of neurological diseases, leading to the discovery of more effective treatment methods. The current work is directed to develop for the first time a flexible Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) based neurotransmitters sensor by using the ultrasonic-assisted fabrication of a new set of epoxy resin (EPR) nanocomposites based on graphene nanosheets (GNS) using the casting technique. The perspicuous epoxy resin was reinforced by the variable loading of GNS giving the general formula GNS/EPR1–5. The designed products have been fabricated in situ while the perspicuous epoxy resin was formed. The expected nanocomposites have been fabricated using 3%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% GNS loading was applied for such fabrication process. The chemical, physical and morphological properties of the prepared nanocomposites were investigated by using Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Thermogravimetric analysis, Differential Thermal gravimetry, and field emission scanning electron microscopy methods. The GNS/EPR1–5 nanocomposites were decorated with a layer of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs/GNS/EPR) to create surface-enhanced Raman scattering hot points. The wettability of the Au NPs/GNS/EPR was investigated in comparison with the different nanocomposites and the bare epoxy. Au NPs/GNS/EPR was used as a SERS-active surface for detecting different concentrations of dopamine with a limit of detection of 3.3 µM. Our sensor showed the capability to detect low concentrations of dopamine either in a buffer system or in human serum as a real sample.
Highlights
Dopamine (DA) is one of the most important catecholamine neurotransmitters that have a vital role in the transmission of nerve impulses
Epoxy/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and ternary epoxy/RGO/powdered rubber (PR) composites showed the absence of such diffraction peak and the presence of wide one at 2θ = 5°–28°, due to the scattering of the cured epoxy molecules, which indicates amorphous nature of these composites [48]
Two points could be highlighted from the absence of graphene nanosheets (GNS) diffraction peaks for our nanocomposites with loading 3–5%: (i) the reflections of G for the low GNS-content composites could be masked by the resin signal, and (ii) this indicates the homogeneous intercalation of epoxy chains into the GNS interlayer together with the exfoliation of the graphene sheets in the epoxy matrix
Summary
Dopamine (DA) is one of the most important catecholamine neurotransmitters that have a vital role in the transmission of nerve impulses. Amazing exceptional properties that will create new materials with excellent properties such as high specific surface areas, unique size distributions Such properties permit graphene and/or CNTs to be used in different industrial fields of applications such as sensing, catalysts, solar cells, composites, medical applications, photonics, and fuel cells. Uses of the SERS technique enable the detection of many important targets at very low concentration levels with high selectivity and sensitivity in the presence of metal nanoparticles [37]. We have used these composites sheets as flexible substrates for developing SERS substrates based on decorated these GNS/EPR1–5 sheets with Au NPs. We investigate the use of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) based sensors for the rapid detection of dopamine neurotransmitters. It is the first time to develop a flexible SERS sensor of detecting dopamine neurotransmitters
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