UC Irvine

This dissertation explores the development of polymer sensors for three different targets and ways to improve sensor design, sensitivity, and reliable recognition elements. All sensors comprise three layers: recognition, interface, and transducer. These elements can be compiled from many different techniques depending on the desired target analyte and signal output. This research focuses on electrochemical impedance as the signal output, polymer films and nanowires as the interface, while varying the recognition layer and target analytes.

Chapter 1 reviews two different polymer types that incorporate specifically tailored filamentous bacteriophage virus M13 (phage), and the various architectures developed in attempt to optimize sensitivity, cost, and ease of fabrication.

In chapter 2 arrays of nanowires of an electronically conductive polymeric affinity medium tailored to the detection of Fe(III) are prepared and their properties for detecting Fe(III) are evaluated.

Lastly, chapter 3 explores the steps made towards making a non-enzymatic impedance based glucose sensor.