The robust bio-immobilization based on pulsed plasma polymerization of cyclopropylamine and glutaraldehyde coupling chemistry

The performance of immunosensing devices crucially depends on the methodology of antibody or antigen immobilization on the sensor surface. Hence, the stable intermediate layers capable of specific and reproducible binding of antibodies are required. Herein, we introduce the amine rich (NHx concentration of 6 at.%) layers prepared by pulsed plasma polymerization of cyclopropylamine (CPA) for functionalization of the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) surface by the antibody specific to human serum albumin. In these layers the amine groups serve as anchor for the antibody binding. The sensitivity of QCM sensors prepared in this way surpasses the one for the previously reported sensors functionalized by the thiolbased self-assembled monolayers by the factor of 2. Our results thus show that CPA plasma polymers have a significant potential for further development of the active layers for biosensing applications. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.