Liquid Crystal Droplet-Based Biosensors: Promising for Point-of-Care Testing

Abstract

The development of biosensing platforms has been impressively accelerated by advancements in liquid crystal (LC) technology. High response rate, easy operation, and good stability of the LC droplet-based biosensors are all benefits of the long-range order of LC molecules. Bioprobes emerged when LC droplets were combined with biotechnology, and these bioprobes are used extensively for disease diagnosis, food safety, and environmental monitoring. The LC droplet biosensors have high sensitivity and excellent selectivity, making them an attractive tool for the label-free, economical, and real-time detection of different targets. Portable devices work well as the accessory kits for LC droplet-based biosensors to make them easier to use by anyone for on-site monitoring of targets. Herein, we offer a review of the latest developments in the design of LC droplet-based biosensors for qualitative target monitoring and quantitative target analysis.

Liquid Crystal Emulsions: A Versatile Platform for Photonics, Sensing, and Active Matter

“…Changes in LC orientational order generally arise from coupling between the aliphatic tails of the adsorbed foreign molecules and mesogens; this phenomenon is commonly referred as adsorbate‐induced ordering transitions. Although LC‐based sensors have been traditionally processed in thin film, LC droplets are advantageous for sensing due to their larger specific surface area, their richer configuration textures, and the possibility to generate thermodynamically stable defects [23] . These features, combined with the fact that surfactants are necessary to stabilize LC emulsions, can be used to generate novel LC droplets‐based sensors that are triggered in response to interfacial recognition processes for the detection of biomolecules, biomarkers, or organisms.…”

Membrane Proteins in Action Monitored by pH-Responsive Liquid Crystal Biosensors

“…Liquid crystal (LC) materials have been widely used in industry for LC displays. In the past 20 years, LC materials have gained much attention due to their potential application as biosensors for point-of-care devices. − Two main forms of LC biosensors have been investigated, namely, those based on the interaction of LC with chemically modified solid interfaces and those based on the interaction of LC with water-soluble molecules at the LC-aqueous interface. The second type of biosensor is suitable for the study of biological molecules or cells.…”

Femtosecond laser-scribed superhydrophilic/superhydrophobic self-splitting patterns for one droplet multi-detection

“…Droplet manipulation is fundamental for a wide range of applications, including combinatorial analysis, [1][2][3] high-sensitivity detection, [4][5][6] and biological screening. [7][8][9] Various strategies have been developed to regulate droplet movement, such as external field stimulation, [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] which controls droplet dynamics by applying specific forces such as light, heat, magnetism, and electricity.…”