Functional Microarray Platform with Self-Assembled Monolayers on 3C-Silicon Carbide

Abstract

Currently available bio-platforms such as microarrays and surface plasmon resonators are unable to combine high throughput multiplexing with label-free detection. As such, emerging Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) and microplasmonics platforms offer the potential for high-resolution, high-throughput label-free sensing of biological and chemical analytes. Therefore, the search for materials capable of combining multiplexing and label free quantitation is of great significance. Recently, interest in silicon carbide (SiC) as a suitable material in numerous biomedical applications has increased due to its well explored chemical inertness, mechanical strength, bio-and hemo-compatibility and the presence of carbon that enables transfer free growth of graphene. SiC is also multifunctional as both a wide band gap semiconductor and an efficient low-loss plasmonics material, and thus is ideal for augmenting current biotransducers in biosensors. Additionally, the cubic variant, 3C-SiC, is an extremely promising material for MEMS, being a suitable platform for the easy micromachining of microcantilevers, it is capable of realizing the potential of real time miniaturized multiplexed assays. However, to realize the full potential of SiC for label free, multiplexed quantitation of biological interactions the generation of an appropriately functionalized and versatile organic monolayer suitable for the immobilization of biomolecules is critical. Herein, we address the use of various silane self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) for covalent functionalization of monocrystalline 3C-SiC films as a novel platform for the generation of functionalized microarray surfaces using high-throughput glycan arrays as the model system. We also demonstrate the ability to robotically print high throughput arrays on free standing SiC microstructures. The implementation of a SiC-based label free glycan array will provide proof-of-principle that could be extended to the immobilization of other biomolecules in a similar SiC-based array format, thus making potentially significant advances to the way biological interactions are studied.

Picomolar detection of carbohydrate-lectin interactions on piezoelectrically printed microcantilever array

“…Here, proof-of-principle using SiC microarray chips functionalized with GOPTS were compared to commercially available microarray surfaces. 39 Our GOPTS functionalized SiC revealed specific lectin-glycan interaction with similar signal intensities and decreased noise due to minimal non-specific interactions to the substrate. Additionally the I−V characteristics of SiC remained unchanged after silanization, implying that the chemical treatment in our GOPTS process did not alter the electrical properties of the SiC film.…”

“…Additionally the I−V characteristics of SiC remained unchanged after silanization, implying that the chemical treatment in our GOPTS process did not alter the electrical properties of the SiC film. 39 Based on these findings, we sort to further investigate whether our GOPTS SAM is suitable to functionalize MEMS biosensors.…”

Bacteriophage adaptation to a mammalian mucosa reveals a trans–domain evolutionary axis

“…in the absence of spacers were taken from existing glycan libraries [39][40][41] . Glycans were amine functionalized as previously described 42 and subsequently printed as described 43 . Briefly, glycosylamines were suspended in 1:1 dimethylformamide (DMF)…”

Carbonate-Terminated Self-Assembled Monolayers for Mimicking Nanoscale Polycarbonate Surfaces

“…Organic thin films have been widely used materials for modifying the interfacial properties of various surfaces. These nanoscale films, in the form of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), have been utilized in various applications such as lubricants for microelectromechanical systems, catalyst modifiers for hydrogenation reactions, , anti-corrosion protectants for metal surfaces, , and anti-adhesive films for surfaces and biosensors − due to their facile generation and manipulation. In further efforts to generate nanoscale films that mimic the surfaces of industrial polymers, , this paper describes the preparation of SAMs derived from the adsorption of alkanethiols terminated with 1,3-dioxane-2-one moieties on gold to serve as mimics to the surfaces of commercially available poly­(propylene carbonate) (PPC) and poly­(ethylene carbonate) (PEC).…”