Internationale Partnersuche

Innovation & Technologie Angebot

Screening device with graphene quantum dots and smartphone readout

Country of Origin: Spain
Reference Number: TOES20170704002
Publication Date: 4 July 2017

Summary

A Catalan (Spanish) research centre develops a low-cost device that turns a smartphone camera into a portable lab.
This device uses the biosensor and camera combo to quantify the presence of analytes in a sample with or without the need for specific receptors.The proof of concept uses paper embedded with graphene quantum dots, but other formats are feasible. The institute seeks partners for technical cooperation and/or license agreement to customize the device and bring it to the market.

Description

A Catalan (Spanish) Research center, specialized in nanotechnology developped a device that turns a smartphone into  a detector of analytes. 

The proposed technology is a detection device that uses a smartphone camera to quantify analytes in a given sample.



The proof of concept can detect the presence of phenols and polyphenols in water, food and wine samples using paper strips embedded with graphene quantum dots as sensor.



It paves the way for fast and simple screening of organic compounds in the field and the detection of various compounds in combination with specific receptors.



How it works: the device uses an ultraviolet LED to excite the graphene quantum dots embedded in the paper-based sensor after exposure to the sample. The smartphone camera is used to take a picture of the excited dots. A software analyses their luminescence and gives a reading. Depending on the intensity of the light emitted by the quantum dots the presence of  analytes is confirmed and can be quantified to establish the precise concentration.



The use of eco-friendly graphene quantum dots avoids the use of heavy metal-based ones



The technology doesn’t need sophisticated instrumentation, making this versatile technology ideal for remote settings.



The research center is looking for :

 -  Companies developing sensors interested by the customization of this technology to match their products by a Technical agreement



 - Industrial companies interested in applying this patented technology to their devices, by a licensing agreement.

Advantages and Innovations

The proposed device is very user-friendly and based on widely-used imaging technologies.

It uses eco-friendly graphene quantum dots rather than heavy metal-based ones. 

It is a very versatile technology that has many potential applications.

It is of particular interest for use in remote settings where sophisticated instrumentation is not available.

Stage Of Development

Prototype available for demonstration

Requested partner

•	Technical agreement: The partner should be a company operating in the sensor and/or advanced materials industries and be interested in tailoring innovative new technologies to the needs of the industry able to bring the technology being offered to market. 



•	Licence agreement: the partner should be in industry interested in applying this patented technology within their products.



The sector could be chemistry, instrumentation suppliers, agrofood analysis (wine...), water analysis, analysis services etc..