Magneto-photoelectrochemical 2D heterojunction platform for biosensing detection

TL;DR

This paper introduces a magnetically modulated PEC biosensing platform using MXenes/Co-TiO2 heterostructures, significantly improving sensitivity and detection limits for biomolecules by suppressing charge recombination through magnetic control.

Contribution

It presents a novel magnetic modulation strategy to enhance PEC biosensors, demonstrating improved performance in detecting protein kinase A activity.

Findings

68.75% increase in detection sensitivity

Detection limit of 0.00016 U/mL for PKA

Wide linear detection range from 0.005 to 80 U/mL

Abstract

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensors exhibit significant potential for biomolecule detection due to their high sensitivity and low background noise. However, their performance is severely constrained by the rapid recombination of photogenerated charge carriers. This study innovatively introduces a non-contact magnetic modulation strategy to suppress electron-hole recombination by manipulating carrier spin states, thereby significantly enhancing photoelectric conversion efficiency. Building on this mechanism, we developed a novel magnetically modulated PEC biosensing platform based on the MXenes/cobalt-doped titanium dioxide (Co-TiO2) heterostructure. This platform achieved ultrasensitive detection of protein kinase A (PKA) activity. Compared to an identical probe-modified biosensor without magnetic field application, the developed platform demonstrated a 68.75% enhancement in detection sensitivity and achieved an ultralow detection limit for PKA of 0.00016 U/mL. It also exhibited a wide linear range from 0.005 to 80 U/mL. This research not only provides a novel methodology for kinase activity analysis but also pioneers the innovative strategy of magnetic modulation for enhanced PEC sensing. It opens new avenues for developing high-performance biosensing platforms, holding significant promise for early disease diagnosis and drug screening applications.