Polyaniline-enzyme nanocomposites for biosensors

CHED 283

Bisharat Khan1, William L'Amoreaux2, and David M. Sarno, dsarno@qcc.cuny.edu1. (1) Department of Chemistry, Queensborough Community College - CUNY, 222-05 56th Avenue, Bayside, NY 11364, (2) Biology Department, College of Staten Island - CUNY, 2800 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10314
Nanofibers of the conducting polymer polyaniline can be prepared by several methods including simple oxidative polymerization in aqueous acidic solution. These materials are of interest as nanoscale electronics, and have been successfully used as high surface area components in a variety of sensors. Recent reports demonstrate a multi-step process by which gold nanoparticles and enzymes are incorporated into a polyaniline matrix to prepare selective biosensors. We are investigating one-pot methods of nanocomposite senor fabrication that support both the synthesis of polyaniline nanomaterials and sufficient activity of the biomolecule.