Abstract
Advanced material architecture can be used to develop tailor-made interfaces for innovative and selective sensor platforms. An intricate mesh structure of manganese oxide nanowires and carbon nanotubes was synthesized. Further, the mesh was strengthened by a molecularly imprinted network to generate template cavities and impart selective recognition. Termed as MIP@MnO:CNT, this mesh structure was used as the receptor interface for microarray transducers. The unique hybrid composition and morphology enhanced binding performance for detection of para-nitrophenol (P-NP), an important pollutant. The sensor showed exceptional sensitivity towards P-NP monitoring with a limit of detection of 3 nM (S/N = 3). Benefitted from the imprinting strategy, the designed sensor exhibited 85–99% selectivity when compared to other aromatic compounds. Moreover, the designed interface was able to detect P-NP in water samples. As demonstrated in this study, other chemical compositions and morphology of multi-dimensional materials can be crafted for the improved and specific detection of analytes.
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Acknowledgments
Ms. Tehseen is thankful to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan for providing a Fellowship (IRSIP No. 1-8/HEC/HRD/2017/8207).
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Tehseen, B., Rehman, A., Schirhagl, R. et al. A mesh network of MnO nanowires and CNTs reinforced by molecularly imprinted structures for the selective detection of para-nitrophenol. Journal of Materials Research 38, 3560–3571 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1557/s43578-023-01080-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/s43578-023-01080-z