Pattern transfer printing of multiwalled carbon nanotube multilayers and application in biosensors

Abstract

We developed a simple, versatile technique to pattern multiwalled carbon nanotubes on any substrate. This approach involves the multilayer assembly of multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) suspensions with opposite charges onto the patterned poly(dimethylsiloxane) via layer-by-layer assembly, followed by the pattern transfer onto various substrates, including silicon wafer, transparent glass slide, flexible and conducting polymeric substrate. The transferred MWNT pattern was precisely tunable with the thickness and exhibits a capacitor behavior that increases with growing film thickness. By taking advantage of patterned electrodes with high surface functionality within a MWNT network, we demonstrate the potential application of patterned MWNT electrodes as sensitive biosensor for glucose. Because of the characteristic electronic properties of carbon nanotubes, we anticipate this approach would provide a new route to integrating an active MWNT matrix for advanced electronic, energy, and sensor applications.