The UTS™ Protein Chip
The current chip comprises an immobilised bioreceptor at the surface of a polypyrrole coated carbon electrode on a plastic support. Polypyrrole is a conductive polymer and is laid down by electrochemical polymerization. Other conducting polymers such as polyaniline, polythiophene or polyfuran could also be used.

Screen-printed electrodes are currently being used for our technology. These are commercially more attractive because of the reduced cost of manufacture. In the past we have successfully used thin-film gold sensors on ceramic and etched electroplated gold sensors on plastic.

The detection range and sensitivity of the UTS™ Technology can be influenced by changing the properties of the polymer layer at the polymerization step to enable measurement of a wide range of concentrations. Sensortec Limited has elucidated and patented the main factors responsible for imparting the required redox properties to the polymer film.