Polyethylene Oxide (PEO) Nanofibers as Sensing-Element in Biosensors

The aim of our research is the development of a prototype of a bionanosensor, which can detect pathogens in real time. We investigate the properties of polymers nanofibers as sensing elements of the biosensor. Hence, the geometrical, mechanical and electrical properties of the fibers are very important. The first goal of our work is to produce polymer fibers under 100 nm (nanofibers) using electrospinning method, since the average size of a virus is approx-imately 100 nm. We deposited PEO nanofibers over a glass plate and used an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) to measure their Young’s modulus (Hertz model). The topography was measurement by AFM, fig.2-3, and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope (CLSM).