Synthesis of short graphene oxide nanoribbons for improved biomarker detection of Parkinson's disease

We demonstrate the microwave-assisted synthesis of short graphene oxide nanoribbons (GONRs) through unzipping cut multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering spectroscopy were used to examine the length, size, and morphology, i.e. unzipping level, of our various products. The nanotube core and nanoribbon shell can be observed from short GONRs via a modified unzipping recipe. Then the short GONRs were adopted to modify the glassy carbon electrode for the electrochemical detection of ascorbic acid (AA), uric acid (UA), and dopamine (DA). Compared to other nanomaterials, cyclic voltammograms of short GONRs show higher anodic oxidation currents for AA, UA, and DA. The detection limits of three analytes are 26, 98, and 24 nM, respectively, in amperometric current-time measurements. Especially, the sensitivity for DA is improved to be 40.86 mu A mu M-1 cm(-2). The improved detection signals are due to the increased active sites of the open ends of short GONRs. Moreover, the width side of short GONRs could be more active than their length side. All above-mentioned results reveal that the short GONRs can provide a novel platform for electrochemically biomarker detection of Parkinson's disease. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.