A polypyrrole-carbon-nanotube (PPy-MWNT) nanocomposite glucose sensor

We present a novel, two-terminal enzymatic molecular device sensitive to glucose concentration based on doped polypyrrole/multi-walled-carbon-nanotube (PPy-MWNT) nanocomposite that obviates the need for reference electrode and electron mediators. This is realized via reversible, oxidation-reduction induced conductivity change of a dodecylbenzenesulfonate (DBS)-doped PPy-MWNT membrane spanning across a microgap adjoining two electrodes. In this work, we discovered that although glucose oxidase (GOx)-laden, DBS-doped PPy membrane is sensitive to glucose between 0-10 mM, the incorporation of MWNT into similar membrane extends its detection ceiling to 20 mM, which covers the physiologically important range for diabetics.