Invented by Prabhu Soundarrajan, James P. Novak, Applied Nanotech Holdings Inc

The market for nanobiosensors and carbon nanotube thin-film transistors is experiencing significant growth and is poised to revolutionize various industries. Nanobiosensors and carbon nanotube thin-film transistors are cutting-edge technologies that offer numerous advantages over traditional sensors and transistors, such as increased sensitivity, faster response times, and improved accuracy. These advancements have led to their widespread adoption in sectors such as healthcare, environmental monitoring, and electronics. Nanobiosensors are devices that combine nanotechnology and biology to detect and analyze biological or chemical substances at the molecular level. They are capable of detecting even the smallest concentrations of analytes, making them invaluable tools in medical diagnostics, drug discovery, and environmental monitoring. Nanobiosensors can be used to detect diseases, monitor glucose levels, and identify pathogens in food and water, among other applications. The market for nanobiosensors is expected to witness significant growth in the coming years. The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and cancer, is driving the demand for accurate and efficient diagnostic tools. Nanobiosensors offer the potential for early detection and personalized treatment, leading to improved patient outcomes. Additionally, the growing focus on preventive healthcare and the need for rapid and point-of-care testing are further propelling the market growth. Carbon nanotube thin-film transistors (CNT-TFTs) are another emerging technology that is gaining traction in the market. CNT-TFTs are electronic devices that utilize carbon nanotubes as the conducting channel, offering superior electrical properties compared to traditional silicon-based transistors. They have the potential to revolutionize the electronics industry by enabling the development of flexible, transparent, and high-performance electronic devices. The market for CNT-TFTs is expected to witness substantial growth in the coming years, driven by the increasing demand for flexible displays, wearable electronics, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. CNT-TFTs offer numerous advantages over traditional transistors, such as higher carrier mobility, better mechanical flexibility, and lower power consumption. These features make them ideal for applications where flexibility, portability, and low power consumption are critical. The healthcare industry is one of the primary sectors benefiting from the advancements in nanobiosensors and CNT-TFTs. Nanobiosensors are being used for real-time monitoring of patients’ vital signs, drug delivery systems, and implantable devices. CNT-TFTs are enabling the development of wearable health monitoring devices, such as smartwatches and fitness trackers, which can continuously monitor various health parameters and provide personalized feedback to users. The environmental monitoring sector is also witnessing the integration of nanobiosensors and CNT-TFTs. Nanobiosensors are being used to detect and monitor pollutants in air, water, and soil, enabling early warning systems and efficient remediation strategies. CNT-TFTs are being incorporated into sensors for monitoring environmental parameters, such as temperature, humidity, and gas concentrations, to ensure the safety and well-being of individuals and the environment. The electronics industry is another key market for nanobiosensors and CNT-TFTs. Nanobiosensors are being used in the development of miniaturized and portable electronic devices, such as smartphones and tablets, to enable various health-related applications. CNT-TFTs are being utilized for the production of flexible displays, touchscreens, and electronic skins, offering enhanced user experience and design flexibility. In conclusion, the market for nanobiosensors and carbon nanotube thin-film transistors is witnessing significant growth and is set to revolutionize various industries. These technologies offer numerous advantages over traditional sensors and transistors, making them invaluable tools in healthcare, environmental monitoring, and electronics. The increasing demand for accurate and efficient diagnostic tools, flexible electronic devices, and environmental monitoring systems is driving the market growth. As these technologies continue to advance, their applications and market potential are expected to expand further, leading to a brighter and more innovative future.

The Applied Nanotech Holdings Inc invention works as follows

The present invention relates to systems and method for detecting chemical and biological species in liquid phase. The systems and method use carbon nanotubes in order to increase sensitivity and selectivity by decreasing interference, and detecting wide concentrations.

Background for Nanobiosensors and carbon nanotube thin-film transistors

Nanobiosensor

Biosensors are devices that incorporate a biological component (e.g. enzyme, antibody) in order to detect chemical species, biological species, and organic substances. Biosensors are useful in a variety of applications, including but not limited, to extreme environments (Dong, et. al., Electroanalysis 15, 157,2003), the detection of pathogenic bacteria and food (Ivnitski, et. al. Electroanalysis 12, 317 2000), glucose monitoring and food industry.

The conventional sensing electrodes used to immobilize enzymes in biological systems have shown limited selectivity and sensitivity. Sensor performance is also limited by possible interfering substances.

Most electrochemical sensors operate in liquid phase. In some cases, the analyte can be gaseous and the electrochemical sensor will not be able to detect it. The performance of liquid electrolyte sensor is limited by electrode corrosion, saturation of analyte during liquid phase and other operational problems such as the requirement to continuously stir the analyte into the sensing element.

Aligned carbon nanotubes are useful for electrochemical biosensing, but their reproducibility is a major problem. The high manufacturing costs of aligned nanotubes limit their commercialization.

There have been previous reports of electrochemical gas biosensors using ionic conducting films like nafion and tetrabutylammonium toluene-4-sulphonate (TBATS) for the detection of hydrogen peroxide and phenol vapors (Saini et al., Biosensors and Bioelectronics 10, 945, 1995; EP0585113A2), which use specific enzymatic reactions. However, these sensors used an enzyme (horseradish peroxidase) and a mediator (potassium hexacyanoferrate (II)) for sensing hydrogen peroxide with enzyme mediator gels. The ?drop and dry? process of the mediator, gel and enzymes did not yield a high sensitive and selective detection. There have been reports about biosensors using a thick film electrochemical device with an insulating substrate for the determination of ethanol vapors using alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme which also involved the ?drop and dry? process (EP634488A2).

CNT-TFT

Chemical sensors are devices which detect chemical and biological species by detecting the interaction of two molecules. These sensors are capable of detecting a variety of analytes, in liquid, gas and solid phases. Sensors are available for ambient and extreme environmental conditions. Chemical sensors are capable of detecting very low levels of analytes when optimized. However, they require a lot of equipment to support them. The equipment prevents the sensors being portable.

Conventional sensor can be manufactured using a variety of techniques. Each technique is specific to the analyte that you want to detect. The interaction between molecules would be the best technique. Signals could be produced by light emission, electron transfers or any other physical change. “Every sensor requires a transduction method, which converts the chemical event into a measurable signal.

Current methods of detection are limited in their selectivity at the limit of detection. Separating a signal and the noise around it becomes very difficult at these extremes. Internal amplification can be used to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. The internal amplification of the desired signal prevents noise from being introduced to a detection system by outside electronics. The detector can be built using transistor architecture to easily achieve amplification. This architecture can benefit from the inherent gain of a semi-conducting material.

Carbon nanotube transistors (CNTs) have been around for several years. (Tan et al., Nature, 1998 (393) 49, Martel et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 1998 (73) 2447). In many examples, a CNT is placed between the electrodes. The preparation of these devices is difficult, as it requires tedious placements of electrodes in relation to the CNT. These advanced techniques require specialized instruments such as electron microscopes and electronic beam writing. This is because the instrumentation needed for fabrication and characterization prevents it from being a fabricated technique.

An embodiment is a sensor that detects an analyte and comprises: a nanotube of carbon; a polymer attached to the nanotube of carbon; and a detection element immobilized on the nanotube of carbon.

Another embodiment of the invention comprises a sensor to detect an analyte that includes: a carbon-nanotube, a polymer attached to the carbon-nanotube and a detection element immobilized on the polymer.

Another embodiment is a sensor that contains a sensing component for detecting analytes embedded in a matrix of polymer intermixed with carbon nanotubes.

Another embodiment is a sensor that includes a sensing component for detecting analytes, and the sensor is attached to a carbon-nanotube.

Yet another embodiment is a method for detecting analyte, comprising: immobilizing polymer and a sensing component to a nanotube of carbon; and using a transduction element with the sensing component to detect the analyte.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION DES DRAWINGS

Referring to the drawings and descriptions in conjunction, it is possible to gain a better understanding of the invention.

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