Self-assembled gold nanonetwork/diamond-like carbon nanofilm: Synthesis, characterization, and biosensing application
Diamond and Related Materials, vol.157, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 157
- Publication Date: 2025
- Doi Number: 10.1016/j.diamond.2025.112579
- Journal Name: Diamond and Related Materials
- Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, PASCAL, Aerospace Database, Chemical Abstracts Core, Chimica, Communication Abstracts, Compendex, INSPEC, Metadex, Civil Engineering Abstracts
- Keywords: Conductive materials, Diamond-like carbon, Electrochemical biosensor, Gold nanonetwork, Metal-carbon composites
- Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
In recent years, the synthesis of functional materials based on metal/carbon composites has gained significant attention. However, the development of simple and one-step preparation methods for such materials remains a considerable challenge. This study presents a novel and straightforward self-assembly approach for the fabrication of a porous gold nanonetwork/diamond-like carbon (GNN/DLC) nanofilm for the first time. The proposed method enables the direct formation of the nanofilm in the synthesis solution, which can be transferred onto rigid or flexible substrates using a modified Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) technique. Comprehensive physicochemical analyses revealed that the GNN/DLC structure contains oxygen-containing functional groups, hydrophobic methyl groups, a sp3/sp2 ratio of 1.16, and exceptional conductivity (1.4 × 103 S cm−1). Optical analysis demonstrated bandgap energies of 1.42 eV and 3.87 eV, indicating that the interaction between oxygen-containing functional groups in the DLC matrix significantly influences the electronic properties of the nanofilm. Electrochemical studies confirmed that the GNN/DLC nanofilm functions as a highly sensitive electrode material for biosensor applications. The fabricated biosensor platform, modified with GNN/DLC, successfully detected the target microRNA miR-410-5p using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), with a detection range of 0.3 fM to 100 fM and a low detection limit (LOD) of 0.27 fM. These findings highlight the potential of GNN/DLC nanofilms in biosensor construction. Additionally, the prepared GNN/DLC nanofilm is expected to find future applications in catalysis, gas storage and separation, energy systems, and biomedical technologies.