Recent advances in the field of bionanotechnology: An insight into optoelectric bacteriorhodopsin, quantum dots, and noble metal nanoclusters

Authors

Christopher Knoblauch, Michigan Technological University
Mark Griep, Aberdeen Proving Grounds
Craig Friedrich, Michigan Technological UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-21-2014

Department

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics

Abstract

Molecular sensors and molecular electronics are a major component of a recent research area known as bionanotechnology, which merges biology with nanotechnology. This new class of biosensors and bioelectronics has been a subject of intense research over the past decade and has found application in a wide variety of fields. The unique characteristics of these biomolecular transduction systems has been utilized in applications ranging from solar cells and single-electron transistors (SETs) to fluorescent sensors capable of sensitive and selective detection of a wide variety of targets, both organic and inorganic. This review will discuss three major systems in the area of molecular sensors and electronics and their application in unique technological innovations. Firstly, the synthesis of optoelectric bacteriorhodopsin (bR) and its application in the field of molecular sensors and electronics will be discussed. Next, this article will discuss recent advances in the synthesis and application of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs). Finally, this article will conclude with a review of the new and exciting field of noble metal nanoclusters and their application in the creation of a new class of fluorescent sensors.

Publisher's Statement

© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Publisher’s version of record: https://doi.org/10.3390/s141019731

Publication Title

Sensors

Recommended Citation

Knoblauch, C., Griep, M., & Friedrich, C. (2014). Recent advances in the field of bionanotechnology: An insight into optoelectric bacteriorhodopsin, quantum dots, and noble metal nanoclusters. Sensors, 14(10), 19731-19766. http://doi.org/10.3390/s141019731
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p/1962

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Version

Publisher's PDF