Two-Dimensional Cobalt Telluride (CoTe₂) for Sensor Detection—A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Studies

In recent years, the sensing field has experienced significant advancements due to the ongoing exploration of innovative materials such as 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). These materials exhibit enhanced properties, including a large surface area, adjustable band gaps, stability in aqueous environments, low toxicity, and unique optical functionalities. Among these, 2D transition metal tellurides (TMTs) have emerged as a promising class for sensing applications [1, 2]. In this study, to address the challenges associated with ultrasensitive dopamine sensing for regular health monitoring, a flexible paper-based sensor utilizing 2D-CoTe2 was successfully fabricated and used for real-time detection of dopamine in artificial sweat. Furthermore, since pesticides pose risks to human health and the environment, 2D-CoTe2 was employed as a template material to detect some compounds as mancozeb and gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) using spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques. To corroborate and elucidate some points in the experimental results, we confirmed the adsorption of dopamine and mancozeb on 2D-CoTe2 by calculating the binding energy, differential charge densities, and projected density of states (pDOS) using density functional theory (DFT). This work combines experimental and theoretical approaches to understand the interaction between the CoTe₂ surface and various compounds, opening a frontier for the development of new and more precise sensors.<br/>Acknowledgments:<br/>This research was supported by Brazilian agencies CAPES, FAPESP, and CNPq - INCT (National Institute of Science and Technology on Materials Informatics).<br/>References<br/>[1] Anyesha Chakraborty, Bruno Ipaves, Caique Campos de Oliveira, Solomon Demiss Negedu, Suman Sarkar, Basudev Lahiri, Pedro A.S. Autreto, and Chandra Sekhar Tiwary. “Sub-picomolar Dopamine Detection using Two-dimensional Cobalt Telluride” Accepted Manuscript in ACS Applied Engineering Materials (2024).<br/>[2] Surbhi Slathia, Bruno Ipaves, Caique Campos de Oliveira, Solomon Demiss Negedu, Suman Sarkar, Pedro A S Autreto2, Chandra Sekhar Tiwary. “Ultra-low detection of Mancozeb using two-dimensional Cobalt Telluride (CoTe2)” Accepted Manuscript in Langmuir (2024).