Stretchable conductive film based on silver nanowires and carbon nanotubes for real-time inducing and monitoring of cell-released NO

Abstract

Nitric oxide (NO) is a critical transcellular messenger involved in numerous cellular physiology and pathology. Although many electrochemical sensing platforms have been developed for the real-time detection of cellular NO, the dynamic recording of NO release from mechanical deformed cells remains a great challenge. In this communication, we developed a stretchable and transparent NO sensor by spin-coating of silver nanowires (AgNWs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on flexible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate. The formed sandwich structure endows the film with robust mechanical flexibility and desirable sensing performance. The developed CNTs/AgNWs/PDMS film exhibited satisfied detection ability toward NO with a wide linear range from 10 nM to 60.94 μM and the detection limit was 2.5 nM. The excellent biocompatibility and mechanical stability of the film provide a suitable environment for cell proliferation and adhesion, enabling the sensing interface to electrochemically detect trace amount of NO released from cells under both static and tensile states in real-time. This research opens a new way for the electrochemical sensing of chemical-signal molecules during mechanotransduction.