It is expected that this QD-modified EIS sensor will have good sensing properties, which are explained below. Figure 5 XPS characteristics of core-shell CdSe/ZnS QDs on SiO 2 /Si substrate. Core-level spectra of (a) Si2p for SiO2, (b) Cd3d for CdSe, (c) Se for CdSe, and (d) Zn2p3 for ZnS are shown. The core-shell CdSe/ZnS QDs are confirmed. Figure 6 shows C-V characteristics

with different pH buffer solutions for the QD EIS sensor after 24 months. It is noted that higher frequency measurement has lower sensitivity and the lower frequency has a stressing effect on the EIS sensor. That is why the optimized C-V measurement was done at 100 Hz. The C-V curves shift, owing to different pH values. The flat band voltage (V fb) is measured at a normalized capacitance of 0.65. Sensitivity of the sensors is calculated from voltage shift in the C-V curves with

respect to change in pH using the equation as given Selumetinib purchase below: (1) Figure 6 Typical C – V characteristics of QD sensor. The C-V characteristics with different pH buffer solutions of 2 to 12 are observed after 24 months. The values of V fb decrease with increase in the pH of buffer solutions (Figure 7), which can be explained by the combination of Site LY294002 Binding model as well as Guloy-Chapman-Stern model at the electrolyte-oxide interface [28]. Bare SiO2 sensing membrane at EIS surface undergoes silanol formation in water which further undergoes protonation and de-protonation reaction after selleck chemical contact with electrolyte solution as explained by the Site Binding model. (2) (3) Figure 7 Time-dependent pH sensitivity. Sensitivity

characteristics of (a) bare SiO2 and (b) CdSe/ZnS QD sensors for 0 to 24 months. Three sensors of each sample are considered to calculate average sensitivity and linearity. According to this model, the combination of ionic states as shown above results from the surface charge at one particular pH. At different pH buffer solutions, the surface charge varies according to the density of ionic states at the oxide surface. However, a collective effect of surface charge and ionic concentration results in the effectively charged layer at sensor-electrolyte interface known as stern layer, which is explained by Guoy-Chapman-Stern model. A combination of surface charge as well as the thickness of electric double layer at sensor-electrolyte interface defines the surface potential Thalidomide of EIS sensor at different pH values. The surface potential of EIS sensing membrane can be determined at particular pH by Nernst equation as shown below: (4) where E is the sensing membrane potential without electrolyte solution, R is the universal gas constant of 8.314 JK-1 mol-1. T is the absolute temperature, and F is Faraday constant of 9.648 × 10-4C-mol-1. It is assumed that the CdSe/ZnS QDs immobilized at SiO2 surface have higher negative charge results in the thicker stern layer or more H+ ion accumulation at sensor-electrolyte interface results in higher density of ionic states at the surface.