Development and Characterization of Biocompatible Cellulose Acetate Substrate for Flexible Electrochemical Biosensors

This paper focuses on the development and characterization of flexible, biocompatible substrates using Cellulose Acetate (CA), a natural biopolymer known for its biocompatibility and adjustable biodegradability. As proof of concept, electrochemical detection of Staphylococcus aureus was carried out using Au-nanoparticle modified Flexible Screen-Printed Electrode (FSPE) on the CA substrate. The key take away from the reliability studies is that the electrochemical performance is intact after multiple bending’s. Tensile strength of 2.75 +/-0.03 MPa is an indicative of the flexibility of the substrate. The substrate showed little degradation during the fabrication of SPE and the time-consuming surface functionalization protocols required for Au-nanoparticle deposition and bioreceptor immobilization. The selective and ultrasensitive detection of S. aureus (LOD: 0.13 CFU/mL) is a testimony for the robustness of the substrate in flexible electrochemical biosensor applications.