title: LED-controlled tuning of ZnO nanowires' wettability for biosensing applications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Wettability is an important property of solid materials which can be controlled by surface energy. Dynamic control over the surface wettability is of great importance for biosensing applications. Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a biocompatible material suitable for biosensors and microfluidic devices. Nanowires of ZnO tend to show a hydrophobic nature which decelerates the adhesion or adsorption of biomolecules on the surface and, therefore, limits their application.
  
  
  METHODS
  Surface wettability of the ZnO nanowires can be tuned using light irradiation. However, the control over wettability using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and the role of wavelength in controlling the wettability of ZnO nanowires are unclear. This is the first report on LED-based wettability control of nanowires, and it includes investigations on tuning the desired wettability of ZnO nanowires using LEDs as a controlling tool.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The investigations on spectral properties of the LED emission on ZnO nanowires' wettability have shown strong dependency on the spectral overlap of LED emission on ZnO absorption spectra. Results indicate that LEDs offer an advanced control on dynamically tuning the wettability of ZnO nanowires.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The spectral investigations have provided significant insight into the role of irradiating wavelength of light and irradiation time on the surface wettability of ZnO nanowires. This process is suitable to realize on chip based integrated sensors and has huge potential for eco-friendly biosensing and environmental sensing applications.
authors: IDEAS Research Institute, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK.
authors: Kaushalkumar
authors: K
authors: Bhavsar
authors: IDEAS Research Institute, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK.
authors: Duncan
authors: D
authors: Ross
authors: IDEAS Research Institute, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK; r.prabhu@rgu.ac.uk.
authors: Radhakrishna
authors: R
authors: Prabhu
authors: IDEAS Research Institute, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK.
authors: Pat
authors: P
authors: Pollard
keywords: contact angle; hydrophilic surface; hydrophobic surface; surface energy; surface wetting angle