Device and method for chemical analysis

Inventors

Taslim, Mohammad E. • Fotouhi, Mohammed • Abedi, Mehdi • Mollaaghababa, Reza • Fotouhi, Bahram • Javaherian, Kashayar • Greenfield, Edward Alvin • Nawana, Namal

Assignees

GrapheneDx Inc

Abstract

Methods and devices for detecting a target agent of interest, e.g., a pathogen, in a sample are described herein. In some embodiments, a sensor is provided that can include a substrate, a graphene layer disposed on a surface of said substrate, and a protein bound to said graphene layer. The protein can be capable of binding to one or more target agents of interest, e.g., pathogens, etc. The binding of the protein to the one or more target agents of interest can generate a change in an electrical property of the graphene layer.

Core Innovation

The invention provides a system for detecting an analyte using a sensor that includes a substrate and a graphene layer disposed on a surface of the substrate. A protein is bound to the graphene layer, and the protein is capable of binding to the analyte. The binding of the protein to the analyte generates a change in an electrical property of the graphene layer.

The sensor further includes a reference electrode disposed in proximity to the graphene layer, together with a voltage source configured for electrically coupling to the reference electrode. The processor controls the voltage source to apply a voltage having an AC component and a DC offset to the reference electrode. The AC component generates a time-varying electric field at or near the vicinity of the graphene layer.

In fullerene-based chemical analysis device embodiments, electrical properties of graphene and/or carbon nanotube based structures change upon protein-analyte interaction, including pathogen-binding proteins and antibody-antigen interactions for analytes in liquid samples. An analyzer architecture acquires electrical resistance and/or impedance over time and correlates measured signatures to calibration signatures using temporal resistance profile analysis, including Fourier transform (FFT) and curve matching.

The document describes analyzer and sensor formats including cartridge and handheld or wearable configurations with microfluidic delivery, filters, and electrical actuation elements including a reference electrode and an AC voltage source to create a time-varying electric field at or near a graphene layer.

Claims Coverage

The document includes one independent claim. The inventive coverage is centered on a graphene-layer sensor with protein binding and a nearby reference electrode, where an applied voltage includes both an AC component and a DC offset to generate a time-varying electric field near the graphene, thereby producing electrical property changes upon analyte binding.

Overall claim coverage protects a detection system that combines protein-bound graphene electrical sensing with reference-electrode voltage control that superposes an AC component on a DC offset to generate a time-varying electric field near the graphene during analyte detection.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications

No documented applications found