Quantum Dot/TiO₂ Nanocomposite‐Based Photoelectrochemical Sensor for Enhanced H₂O₂ Detection Applied for Cell Monitoring and Visualization

Abstract

This work exploits the possibility of using CdSe/ZnS quantum dot (QD)‐electrodes to monitor the metabolism of living cells based on photoelectrochemical (PEC) measurements. To realize that, the PEC setup is improved with respect to an enhanced photocurrent signal, better stability, and an increased signal‐to‐noise ratio, but also for a better biocompatibility of the sensor surface on which cells have been grown. To achieve this, a QD‐TiO2 heterojunction is introduced with the help of atomic layer deposition (ALD). The heterojunction reduces the charge carrier recombination inside the semiconductor nanoparticles and improves the drift behavior. The PEC performance is carefully analyzed by adjusting the TiO2 thickness and combining this strategy with multilayer immobilizations of QDs. The optimal thickness of this coating is ≈5 nm; here, photocurrent generation can be enhanced significantly (e.g., for a single QD layer electrode by more than one order of magnitude at 0 V vs Ag/AgCl). The resulting optimized electrode is used for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) sensing with a good sensitivity down to µmolar concentrations, reusability, stability, response rate, and repeatability. Finally, the sensing system is applied to monitor the activity of cells directly grown on top of the electrode surface.