D-π conjugated S-type ZnO-polydopamine heterojunctions with enzymatic cascade amplification for enhanced...

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a key biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma, but traditional testing methods are associated with radiation risks, high costs, and insufficient sensitivity. In this work, an S-type ZnO-polydopamine (PDA) heterojunction-based photoelectrochemical (PEC) immunoassay was fabricated through a two-step thermal method, combined with cascade enzymatic reactions for the sensitive AFP quantification. The unique S-scheme charge transfer mechanism and Zn-O-C interfacial chemical bonding were rationally designed, and PDA acted as an electron buffer layer with π-π conjugated structure to optimize interfacial charge transport. Through band structure analysis combined with first-principles theoretical calculations, an S-type electron transfer pathway within the heterojunction was identified, which effectively retained the carriers with high redox capacity and accelerated the charge separation. The signal amplification system for the cascading enzymatic reaction further amplified the detectable signal by catalyzing the generation of ascorbic acid, thereby enabling a highly sensitive determination of target AFP at a picogram level (0.497 pg mL^-1). Importantly, this strategy integrates S-scheme heterojunctions with enzymatic signal amplification, providing a promising platform for the high-performance PEC detection of low-abundance proteins in biological fluids.