Pyrene-adamantane-β-cyclodextrin: An efficient host–guest system for the biofunctionalization of SWCNT electrodes

The design of nanostructured biological architectures based on host–guest interactions between β-cyclodextrin and adamantane was investigated on SWCNT coatings using glucose oxidase (GOX) as biomolecule model. β-Cyclodextrin tagged GOX was immobilized on adamantane functionalized carbon nanotubes, deposited on platinum electrodes. Different functionalization techniques to attach “pyrene adamantane” on nanotubes were studied and compared in terms of the performances of the subsequently constructed glucose biosensors. The best results were obtained by dipping the nanotube deposit into a pyrene-adamantane solution followed by electropolymerization of the adsorbed pyrene monolayer. The constructed biosensor exhibited a good linear response toward glucose concentrations between 2 × 10−7 M and 1.6 × 10−3 M. The maximum current density and glucose sensitivity were 154.9 μA cm−2 and 14.4 mA M−1 cm−2, respectively.