preprints.org > chemistry and materials science > materials science and technology > doi: 10.20944/preprints202402.0811.v1

Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Version 1 : Received: 14 February 2024 / Approved: 14 February 2024 / Online: 14 February 2024 (13:26:14 CET)

Membrane-based sensors (MePSs) exhibit remarkable precision and sensitivity in detecting pressure changes. MePSs are commonly used to monitor catalytic reactions in solution, generating gas products crucial for signal amplification in bioassays. They also allow catalyst quantification by indirectly measuring the pressure generated by the gaseous products. This is particularly interesting to detect enzymes in biofluids associated with disease onset. To enhance the performance of a MePS, various structural factors influence membrane flexibility and response time, ultimately dictating the device's pressure sensitivity. In this study, we fabricated MePSs using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and investigated how structural modifications affect the Young's modulus (E) and residual stress (σ0) of the membranes. These modifications have a direct impact on the sensors' sensitivity to pressure variations, observed as a function of the volume of the chamber (Σ) or of the mechanical properties of the membrane itself (S). MePSs exhibiting the highest sensitivities were then employed to detect catalyst quantities inducing the dismutation of hydrogen peroxide, producing dioxygen as gaseous product. As a result, catalase enzyme was successfully detected using these optimized MePSs, achieving a remarkable sensitivity of (22.7 ± 1.2) µm/nM and a limit of detection (LoD) of 396 pM.

Pressure sensors; PDMS membranes; catalase; bioassays; membrane deflection

Chemistry and Materials Science, Materials Science and Technology

* All users must log in before leaving a comment