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Morphological studies of TiO2-Al2O3 and TiO2-Ta2O5 nanocomposite nanotubes synthesised on silicon substrates are presented here. Nanocomposite Ti-Al and Ti-Ta thin films were deposited on silicon substrates via simultaneous multi-target sputtering of Ti and Al targets or Ti and Ta targets, followed by anodisation in a fluorinated electrolyte. By increasing the Al or Ta concentration in the sputtered films, the morphology of the anodised films is changed from tubular oxides (with ripples on the outer walls) to well-aligned porous oxides (smooth walls, near zero gap between walls). By increasing the concentrations of Ta, formation of random Y-branched porous oxides in the anodised films is demonstrated. These nanotubes were synthesised on a planar substrates making them suitable for integrated circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COronaVIrus Disease (COVID-19) is a newly emerging viral disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 cases worldwide led the WHO to declare a pandemic within a few months after the first case of infection. Due to the lack of a prophylactic measure to control the virus infection and spread, early diagnosis and quarantining of infected as well as the asymptomatic individuals are necessary for the containment of this pandemic. However, the current methods for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis are expensive and time consuming, although some promising and inexpensive technologies are becoming available for emergency use. In this work, we report the synthesis of a cheap, yet highly sensitive, cobalt-functionalized TiO2 nanotubes (Co-TNTs)-based electrochemical sensor for rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 through sensing the spike (receptor binding domain (RBD)) present on the surface of the virus. A simple, low-cost, and one-step electrochemical anodization route was used for synthesizing TNTs, followed by an incipient wetting method for cobalt functionalization of the TNTs platform, which was connected to a potentiostat for data collection. This sensor specifically detected the S-RBD protein of SARS-CoV-2 even at very low concentration (range of 14 to 1400 nM (nano molar)). Additionally, our sensor showed a linear response in the detection of viral protein over the concentration range. Thus, our Co-TNT sensor is highly effective in detecting SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD protein in approximately 30 s, which can be explored for developing a point of care diagnostics for rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 in nasal secretions and saliva samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]