A novel method of immobilizing antibodies on a quartz crystal microbalance using plasma-polymerized films for immunosensors

A novel method of immobilizing antibodies on quartz crystals for use in immunosensors was developed using an ethylenediamine plasma-polymerized film matrix. The films formed on the quartz crystals are extremely thin and homogeneous, and they incorporate amino groups. Sensors produced using this method are more reproducible from sample to sample and exhibit lower noise and higher sensitivity than sensors made using conventional immobilization methods, e.g., via polyethylenimine and (γ-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane. This is, to our knowledge, the first reported application of plasma-polymerized films to quartz crystal microbalance immunosensors. Results on orientation-controlled immobilization of antibodies, reusability and calibration tests are also presented.