Self-assembled nanoporous electrodes for sensitive and labeling-free biomolecular recognition

We fabricated nanoporous electrodes with uniform pore sizes using surfactant self-assembly techniques. These nanoporous electrodes were functionalized. When the target biomolecules are captured in the pore channels through specific binding or hybridization, the nanopores are totally or partially blocked. As a result, the access of indicator molecules to the conductive surface of the electrode is affected, and the electrochemical response on the electrode is reduced. This mechanism is sensitive to the presence of nanomole (10−9mole) to femtomole (10−15mole) level molecules and has potential as a simple, general, and labeling-free technique for electrochemical biomolecular recognition.