Optical Bioelectronic Device Based on a Screen-Printed Electroluminescent Transducer

Area of Science:

• Bio-optoelectronics
• Biosensing technology
• Materials science

Background:

• Conventional alternating-current electroluminescent (ACEL) displays are primarily used in screens and advertising.
• Integrating ACEL technology with immunoassay offers a novel approach for biosensing applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a new class of biosensing transducer based on ACEL display technology.
• To develop a paper-based immunoassay platform for sensitive biomarker detection.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a reversed ACEL architecture on paper material without indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes.
• Integration of immunoassay with the ACEL display for optical transduction.
• Detection of C-reactive protein (CRP) as a model analyte in human serum.

Main Results:

• The ACEL display functions as an optical transducer, with electroluminescence triggered off by immunocomplex formation.
• The biosensor demonstrates high sensitivity and negligible interference in human serum samples.
• The platform successfully detected C-reactive protein (CRP), a biomarker for inflammation and cardiovascular disease.

Conclusions:

• The developed ACEL transducer offers a straightforward, highly sensitive approach for biosensing.
• This paper-based bio-optoelectronic device shows potential for multiplexed assays and point-of-care testing applications.