# US 12,215,374 B2 · Biosensor with porous wicking layer

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- Number: US 12,215,374 B2
- Document ID: US12215374B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/055,359
- Filed: 2019-05-15
- Published: 2021-07-22
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2018-05-15
- Assignees: The University of Newcastle
- Applicants: Life Science Biosensor Diagnostics Pty Ltd
- Inventors: Paul Dastoor
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12215374B2

## CPC

- C12Q 1/006: {for glucose}
- C12Q 1/26: involving oxidoreductase
- G01N 27/4145: {specially adapted for biomolecules, e.g. gate electrode with immobilised receptors}
- H10K 10/464: {Lateral top-gate IGFETs comprising only a single gate}
- H10K 10/471: {the gate dielectric comprising only organic materials}
- H10K 10/481: {characterised by the gate conductors}
- H10K 10/488: {the channel region comprising a layer of composite material having interpenetrating or embedded materials, e.g. a mixture of donor and acceptor moieties, that form a bulk heterojunction}
- H10K 10/88: Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
- H10K 71/60: Forming conductive regions or layers, e.g. electrodes
- H10K 85/141: {comprising aliphatic or olefinic chains, e.g. poly N-vinylcarbazol, PVC or PTFE}
- A61B 5/14507: {specially adapted for measuring characteristics of body fluids other than blood (devices for taking samples of body liquids A61B10/0045)}
- A61B 5/14532: {for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement}
- A61B 2560/0214: of power generation or supply
- H10K 85/761: {Biomolecules or bio-macromolecules, e.g. proteins, chlorophyl, lipids or enzymes}
- C12Q: MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS (immunoassay G01N33/53); COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

The present invention relates to organic thin film sensors and the preparation and use thereof in sensing applications, and in particular in glucose sensing. The sensor is characterised by a layered structure comprising a porous wicking layer whose surface is configured to receive a liquid sample. An enzyme is disposed on or within the porous layer for facilitating the generation of a charge carrier from an analyte. A polymer layer in contact with the porous layer is connected to an ohmic conductor for applying a gate voltage to the polymer layer, the polymer layer being conductive to the charge carrier; and an organic semiconducting layer is connected to a source electrode and a drain electrode.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An organic thin film transistor based sensor for detecting the presence of an analyte in a hydrophilic liquid sample, the sensor including:
a porous polymer wicking layer having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is configured to receive a liquid sample;
an enzyme disposed on or within the porous polymer wicking layer, the enzyme for facilitating the generation of a charge carrier from an analyte;
a polymer gating layer in contact with the second surface of the porous polymer wicking layer, and configured to be connected to an ohmic conductor for applying a gate voltage to the polymer gating layer, the polymer gating layer being conductive to the charge carrier; and
an organic semiconducting layer configured to be connected to and between a source electrode and a drain electrode,
wherein the porous polymer wicking layer is a different material than the polymer gating layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein the porous polymer wicking layer has a thickness of from 50 nm up to about 500 μm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein a drop of the liquid on the first surface of the porous polymer wicking layer has a contact angle of 60° or less.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The sensor of claim 3, wherein the contact angle is 50° or less.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The sensor of claim 4, wherein the contact angle is 40° or less.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein the pore size is from 50 nm to 2000 nm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The sensor of claim 6, wherein the pore size is from 100 nm to 1000 nm.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein the porous polymer wicking layer has a void ratio of from about 30% up to about 95%.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein the porous polymer wicking layer is formed from a polymer that has a glass transition temperature of at least 80° C.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The sensor of claim 9, wherein the glass transition temperature is at least 90° C.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein the porous polymer wicking layer is formed from a polymer that is soluble in dimethyl sulfoxide.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein the porous polymer wicking layer is formed from a polymer that is formed from a one or more repeating monomer units, wherein the one or more repeating monomer units do not include a halide atom.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The sensor of claim 12, wherein the one or more repeating monomer units consist of C, N, and H atoms.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein the porous polymer wicking layer is a porous polyacrylonitrile (PAN) layer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein the enzyme is within the porous polymer wicking layer.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein the analyte is glucose and the enzyme is glucose oxidase.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein the polymer gating layer is a sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene-based fluoropolymer-copolymer.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The sensor of claim 17, wherein the polymer gating layer comprises tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoro-3,6-dioxa-4-methyl-7-octenesulfonic acid copolymer.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein the organic semiconducting layer includes one or more organic polymers selected from the group consisting of polyacetylenes, porphyrins, phthalocyanins, fullerenes, polyparaphenylenes, polyphenylenevinylenes, polyfluorenes, polythiophenes, polypyrroles, polypyridines, polycarbazoles, polypyridinevinylenes, polyarylvinylenes, poly(p-phenylmethylvinylenes).

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein the organic semiconducting layer includes poly-3-hexylthiophene.