Title: Polypyrrole incorporating biomolecules

Authors: Davidson Day Ateh, Geoffrey Charles Lillie, Pankaj Vadgama

Addresses: Barts and The London Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, Neuroscience Centre, Institute of Cell and Molecular Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AT, UK. ' LifeScan Scotland Ltd., Beechwood Park North, Inverness IV2 3ED, UK. ' IRC in Biomedical Materials, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK

Abstract: Polypyrrole (PPy) is a conducting polymer with emerging applications in biomedical engineering. We report on the synthesis and properties of PPy incorporating biomolecules using AC impedance spectroscopy. Impedance behaviour was consistent with two basic charge transfer processes, polaronic and electronic, demonstrated by two-electrode impedance spectroscopy over the frequency range 5 Hz–13 MHz. These processes were sensitive to alterations in environmental conditions such as pH and ionic strength. The reported results are likely to be a consequence of the intimate molecular association between PPy chains and incorporated molecules in the matrix as evidenced by variations in impedance spectra related to polymer loading. PPy incorporating physically entrapped biomolecules together with impedance spectroscopy could be exploited in reagentless biosensor applications. Furthermore, this could be coupled to their emerging role in cell contact and guidance applications for the detection of cell adhesion, migration or metabolite monitoring.

Keywords: polypyrrole; PPy; biomolecules; impedance; conducting polymers; biomedical engineering; biomaterials; biosensors; cell adhesion; cell migration; metabolite monitoring.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNBM.2008.016872

International Journal of Nano and Biomaterials, 2008 Vol.1 No.3, pp.222 - 236

Published online: 26 Jan 2008 *

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