Scientists have discovered that a coating of porous carbon on the electrodes speeds up the flow rate by three times.
“The porous structure of the material allows morenumber of dopamine molecules to participate in the reaction, in addition, the carbon-coated electrode momentarily captures dopamine in natural surface irregularities, says Ashley Ross, study leader. “These properties increase the sensitivity of the electrode and allow for experiments that require high precision.”
Coffee grounds have previously been used to make porous carbon capacitors. However, this is the first experience of using this material in neurochemistry.
Traditional microelectrodes, which are used inneuroscience, are made of carbon fiber - thin, solid carbon strands tied together. The manufacture of such electrodes is, as a rule, a laborious and expensive process. The use of coffee grounds would significantly reduce the cost of such sensors, Ross says.
In their work, the researchers dried coffeethick, after which it was heated in a tube furnace to a temperature of about 700°C. The resulting material was placed in a potassium hydroxide solution to activate the carbon and form a porous structure. After that, the scientists reheated the mixture under a nitrogen atmosphere to remove all impurities. A black suspension was obtained from porous carbon particles.
At the last stage, scientists diluted the obtainedsuspension with water and the electrodes were dipped into the solution. As a result, a carbon film was formed on its surface, almost 100 times thinner than a human hair.
The researchers compared the characteristics of coated anduncoated electrodes to detect small amounts of dopamine by cyclic voltammetry. During the experiment, the voltage on the electrode quickly changed, which led to alternate oxidation and reduction of dopamine.
It turned out that carbon-coated sensors in threetimes accelerate the rate of reactions. The developed method makes it possible to record the release of the neurotransmitter as quickly as it occurs in the brain.
"The new material will help us better understand brain activity and detect minute levels of neurotransmitter change," says Ross.
At the next stage, her team plans to create an electrode that will consist entirely of waste coffee waste.
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