Flexible chitosan/carbon nanotubes aerogel, a robust matrix for in-situ growth and non-enzymatic biosensing applications

A novel 3D chitosan/multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) aerogel with snubby CNTs tips emerged on the surface of soft nanosheets was synthesized by ice-templating method. The ideal cooperative effect of phragmoid CS and electrical CNTs offered synthetical properties, such as low density (about 6.3 mg cm−3), flexibility, absorption, catalysis capacities, improved electrochemical characteristics and novel applications. This unique architecture showed good specificity to dopamine with ultralow detection limit of 0.3 nM in biosensing applications. Meanwhile, the unique surface of soft nanosheets with snubby CNTs tips makes it an incubative bed for in situ adsorbed growth of nanostructures. Cu2O@CuO chipped core-shell nanoparticles were in situ grown onto the soft nanosheets by simple adsorption of Cu2+ and used for non-enzymatic detection.