Development and Characterization of Biocompatible Cellulose Acetate Substrate for Flexible Electrochemical Biosensors

Abstract

This article focuses on the development and characterization of flexible, biocompatible substrates using cellulose acetate (CA), a natural biopolymer known for its biocompatibility and adjustable biodegradability. As a proof of concept, the electrochemical detection of Staphylococcus aureus was carried out using Au-nanoparticle (NP)-modified flexible screen-printed electrode (FSPE) on the CA substrate. The key take away from the reliability studies is that the electrochemical performance is intact after multiple bendings. The tensile strength of 2.75±0.03 MPa is an indicative of the flexibility of the substrate. The substrate showed little degradation during the fabrication of screen-printed electrode (SPE) and the time-consuming surface functionalization protocols required for Au-NP deposition and bioreceptor immobilization. The selective and ultrasensitive detection of S.aureus (LOD: 0.13 CFU/mL) is a testimony for the robustness of the substrate in flexible electrochemical biosensor applications.