Electrical contacting of redox enzymes by means of oligoaniline-cross-linked enzyme/carbon nanotube composites.

The electropolymerization of aniline-functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and thioaniline-modified glucose oxidase (GOx) on a thioaniline monolayer-modified Au electrode yields a CNTs/GOx composite cross-linked by the redox-active bis-aniline units. The three-dimensional conductivity of the CNTs matrix and the electron-transfer (relay) properties of the bis-aniline components lead to the effective electrical wiring of the enzyme units with the electrode, and to the efficient bioelectrocatalytic oxidation of glucose (turnover rate ca. k(et) = 1025 s(-1)). The conditions to synthesize the three-dimensional CNTs/GOx composite and the parameters influencing the bioelectrocatalytic functions of the modified electrode are discussed.