The project aims to develop cost-effective fast, all-inkjet printed flexible field-effect transistor-based biosensors (FET biosensors) for the detection of Escherichia coli (E.coli). E.coli O157:H7 is one of the most dangerous pathogens causing fatal food poisoning and bloody diarrhea. E.coli outbreaks pose a significant risk to food safety and public health. The existing methods for E.coli detection require expensive equipment and special training and are also not sensitive enough and time-consuming. Thus, the topic of this project is very relevant, and the proposed product is in demand on the market.
FET biosensors have several advantages over traditional detection methods, such as high sensitivity, real-time application, and scalability. The inkjet printing method has attracted a great deal of interest due to the capability of depositing a broad range of functional materials on a substrate with high precision, a digitally controlled manner, high productivity, and direct non-contact patterning. Although inkjet printing offers many advantages over traditional FET fabrication methods, several challenges need to be addressed to produce high-quality biosensors based on TMDCs. The main problems are associated with the challenges of homogeneity of the deposited layers, surface functionalization of TMDs, the ink stability and properties including viscosity, surface tension, exclusion of random binding and denaturation of the receptor, and so on. This proposal aims to develop a universal engineering approach for the fabrication of high-performance FET biosensors using the inkjet printing method. To reach our main aim, the objectives of the project are as follows:
• to grow perfect WSe₂ and MoS₂ single crystals by chemical vapor transport method;
• to produce high-quality MoS₂ and WSe₂ powders consisting of mono and few-layer grains;
• to obtain high-quality holey MoS₂ and WSe₂ layers to prepare high stable inks;
• to develop a technology for producing stable, concentrated MoS₂ and WSe₂ inks;
• to optimize technological regimes of FET inkjet printing;
• to obtain high-performance biosensors based on the antibody immobilized TMD-FETs;
• to provide high-quality feedback analysis at all stages of work.

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