Heterogeneous diamond biosensing nanoarchitectures

Our project represents an important innovation in the field of carbon nanomaterials. Nanostructures are geometric, complex, often periodic surfaces of nanometric size, i.e., approximately 1/100 thinner than a human hair. Our project focuses on developing periodic diamond nanostructures with extraordinary optical and electronic properties, which are difficult or impossible to achieve using conventional technologies. Importantly, we use synthetic diamond for that purpose, which means we can obtain materials characterised by exceptional chemical stability and biocompatibility.

Diamond is well known for its incredible hardness, which means it is very difficult to nanostructurise, i.e., have its surface shaped in nanoscale with the use of atoms. However, thanks to advanced technologies used in the semiconductor industry, we are able to deposit synthetic diamond in form-defined matrices to create three-dimensional nanostructures. Another approach is to fabricate three‐dimensional nanostructures from diamond composites that induce periodicity.

dr hab. inż. Robert Bogdanowicz, fot. Michał Łepecki The aim of our project is to develop and study new three-dimensional diamond nanostructures, optimised for applications in medicine and biosensor production. What makes our structures unique is the possibility of obtaining simultaneous optical and electrochemical signals, which reduces the risk of error and shortens measurement time as compared to traditional sensors. Taken together, optical and electrochemical data are very reliable and useful for early diagnostics. This advance allows us to detect specific biological targets, such as viruses, cancer cells, bacteria and disease markers in a highly selective and sensitive manner. Biosensors are detection platforms that use biological receptors, such as antibodies, to detect different biological targets. In order to achieve adequate selectivity for a given biological target, the sensors need to be bio‐functionalised; their surface must be sensitised to specific biological interactions with specific proteins, which are antigen proteins in our case.

The project crucially involves international cooperation between Polish and Czech researchers. Researchers based in Prague specialise in developing and diagnosing periodic diamond structures; researchers in Gdańsk focus on modifying their electrochemical parameters; and our Warsaw team has expertise in optoelectronics, mainly dealing with biosensors. This synergy of expertise and experience will help us understand and develop the potential of these fascinating nanostructures.