Projects per year
Abstract
Graphene oxide (GO) and M13 bacteriophage can self-assemble to form ultra-low density porous structures, known as GraPhage13 aerogels (GPA). Due to the insulating nature of GPA and the challenges in producing highly conductive aerogels, it is paramount to explore ways to enhance the conductivity of GPA. Herein, we have developed a method to enhance the conductivity of GPA, via the integration and optimisation of 5 nm and 20 nm diameter gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) into the aerogel structure and systematically analysed the morphology, composition and spectroscopic properties of the resulting GPA-Au nanocomposite. The fabricated GPA-Au nanocomposites exhibited remarkable increases in conductivity, with the integration of 5 nm AuNPs leading to a 53-fold increase compared to GPA, achieving a performance of up to 360 nS/cm, which is within the range suitable for miniaturised semiconductor devices. The mechanism behind the conductivity enhancement was further investigated and attributed to GO-AuNP interactions increasing the carrier density by introducing new energy levels in the GO band gap or shifting its Fermi level towards the conduction band. These findings demonstrate the potential of functionalised AuNPs to significantly improve the electrical properties of GPA, paving the way for their application in gas sensors for biological and chemical detection and a new range of advanced semiconductor devices.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 152 |
Number of pages | 14 |
Journal | Discover nano |
Volume | 19 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 18 Sept 2024 |
Keywords
- Graphene oxide
- M13 bacteriophage
- Gold nanoparticles
- Conductivity optimisation
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Window into the Mind: Handheld Spectroscopic Eye-safe Device (EyeD) for Neurodiagnostics
Goldberg Oppenheimer, P. (Principal Investigator)
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council
1/05/21 → 30/04/25
Project: Research
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A smart, multi-purpose technology for diagnostics, analytics and drug delivery
Goldberg Oppenheimer, P. (Principal Investigator) & Mendes, P. (Co-Investigator)
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council
1/10/21 → 30/06/23
Project: Research Councils
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WT ISSF14/15 A new frontier in a development of nanoplasmonic-metamaterial detectors from DNA building blocks
Goldberg Oppenheimer, P. (Principal Investigator)
15/04/15 → 30/09/17
Project: Research