Non-enzymatic glucose detection using magnetic nanoemulsions

Abstract

We probe the optical properties and intermolecular interactions in magnetically responsive nanoemulsions in the presence of glucose. The equilibrium interdroplet distance between the emulsion droplets in an one-dimensional array increases by several nanometers in the presence of glucose because of intermolecular hydrogen bonding with sodium dodecyl sulphate molecules at the oil-water interface that gives rise to stretched lamellae-like structure. The observed large red shift in the diffracted Bragg peak (∼50–100 nm) and the linear response in the glucose concentration range of 0.25–25 mM offer a simple, fast, and cost effective non-enzymatic approach for glucose detection.