Cerium oxide nanofiber based electroanalytical sensor for TNF-α detection: Improved interfacial stability with Nafion

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Improving nanomaterial adhesion on solid-state electrodes is crucial for sensor development.
• Nafion's selective permeability offers potential for stabilizing electrode interfaces without impeding essential transport processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an efficient method for enhancing nanomaterial adhesion at electrode interfaces using Nafion.
• To evaluate the stability and performance of a Nafion-modified cerium oxide nanofiber (CeNF) electrode for biomarker detection.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of cerium oxide nanofibers (CeNF) via electrospinning.
• Modification of glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) with CeNF and Nafion.
• Characterization using X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, TGA, FTIR, and FESEM.
• Electrochemical evaluation using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).
• Detection of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) biomarker.

Main Results:

• The GCE/CeNF/Nafion interface demonstrated improved stability compared to GCE/CeNF.
• Nafion modification enhanced the sensitivity for TNF-α detection, achieving a lower limit of detection (LOD) of 1.2 fg/mL compared to 2.8 fg/mL for GCE/CeNF.
• Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy confirmed enhanced interfacial stability without compromising sensitivity.

Conclusions:

• An optimally thin Nafion layer effectively improves nanomaterial adhesion and electrode interface stability.
• The proposed method enhances sensor performance for detecting sepsis biomarkers like TNF-α.
• Nafion is a promising material for developing robust and sensitive electrochemical biosensors.