Graphene-like boron carbide monolayer as an electronic and work function-type sensor for dopamine drug

The electronic response of both pristine and Al-doped BC₃ nanosheets toward 3, 4-dihydroxyphenyl ethylamine, i.e. dopamine (DA) was studied through density functional theory. Based on the adsorption energy the tendency of pristine BC₃ toward DA drug insignificant and also after adsorption of DA drug the electronic properties of BC₃ were changed negligibly. While doping the sheet by Al significantly increases its reactivity and sensitivity toward the DA drug. By adsorption of DA HOMO-LUMO gap dramatically decreased of from 1.34 to 1.12 eV, thereby enhancing the electrical conductivity. It indicates that the doped BC₃ nanosheets may be a suitable candidate as a DA electronic sensor, unlike the pristine BC₃. Furthermore, the work function of doped BC₃ was changed significantly after DA adsorption. Based on these results the doped BC₃ can also act as a work function-type sensor to the sensing of DA was used. Finally, the most important factor of the doped BC₃ sheet is a short recovery time of 7.36 ms for the desorption process of DA.