Charge transport properties and mechanisms of bacterial cellulose (BC)-Zinc complexes

Most current flexible electronic devices are based on petroleum materials that are difficult to degrade. The exploration of sustainable and eco-friendly materials has become a major focus in both the scientific and industrial communities. In this study, BC-Zn-BIM (bacterial cellulose-Zn-benzimidazole), a novel composite electrode material based on biodegradable BC was developed. Here, BC acted as a conductive medium involved in the conductive behavior of the composite material. We've explored the charge transport mechanisms of BC-Zn-BIM by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and applied it in the electrochemical detection of Bisphenol A (BPA). The results indicated that the oxygen-containing groups in BC and the nitrogen-containing heterocycles in BIM have a tendency to lose electrons, whereas zinc ions actively acquire electrons from these groups. This process promoted charge transfer within BC-Zn-BIM and endowed it with semiconductor-like properties, enhancing the electrocatalytic reaction of BPA. The detection limit of the electrochemical biosensor was 12 nM, and the sample recovery was 95.1%105.6%. This study clarified the mechanism of the higher electrical properties achieved in Zn-BIM complex grown in-situ on dielectric BC. This will further promote the development of low-cost, environmentally friendly flexible electronic devices.