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Epitaxial Graphene Sensors Combined with 3D-Printed Microfluidic Chip for Heavy Metals Detection
In this work, we investigated the sensing performance of epitaxial graphene on Si-face 4H-SiC (EG/SiC) for liquid-phase detection of heavy metals (e.g., Pb and Cd), showing fast and stable response and low detection limit. The sensing platform proposed includes 3D-printed microfluidic devices, which...
Autores principales: | , , , , , , |
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Formato: | Online Artículo Texto |
Lenguaje: | English |
Publicado: |
MDPI
2019
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Materias: | |
Acceso en línea: | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6567039/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31130608 http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/s19102393 |
Sumario: | In this work, we investigated the sensing performance of epitaxial graphene on Si-face 4H-SiC (EG/SiC) for liquid-phase detection of heavy metals (e.g., Pb and Cd), showing fast and stable response and low detection limit. The sensing platform proposed includes 3D-printed microfluidic devices, which incorporate all features required to connect and execute lab-on-chip (LOC) functions. The obtained results indicate that EG exhibits excellent sensing activity towards Pb and Cd ions. Several concentrations of Pb(2+) solutions, ranging from 125 nM to 500 µM, were analyzed showing Langmuir correlation between signal and Pb(2+) concentrations, good stability, and reproducibility over time. Upon the simultaneous presence of both metals, sensor response is dominated by Pb(2+) rather than Cd(2+) ions. To explain the sensing mechanisms and difference in adsorption behavior of Pb(2+) and Cd(2+) ions on EG in water-based solutions, we performed van-der-Waals (vdW)-corrected density functional theory (DFT) calculations and non-covalent interaction (NCI) analysis, extended charge decomposition analysis (ECDA), and topological analysis. We demonstrated that Pb(2+) and Cd(2+) ions act as electron-acceptors, enhancing hole conductivity of EG, due to charge transfer from graphene to metal ions, and Pb(2+) ions have preferential ability to binding with graphene over cadmium. Electrochemical measurements confirmed the conductometric results, which additionally indicate that EG is more sensitive to lead than to cadmium. |
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