Flexible Zn-air battery for self-powered aptasensing SARS-CoV-2

It is vital to manufacture the highly efficient flexible and readable self-powered electrochemical aptasensor for the sensitive and selective detection of SARS-CoV-2 S-gene respiratory diseases. In this work, a Zn-air battery (ZAB) was assembled using hollow mesocarbon spheres enveloped with Co-N-C atomic sites (referred to as Co-N-C@mHCSs) as the cathode electrocatalyst and utilized it as the ZAB-driven self-powered aptasensor (SPA) for sensitively and selectively detecting SARS-CoV-2 S-gene from complicated environments. The flexible Co-N-C@mHCS-assembled ZAB had a high open-circuit voltage of 1.411 V and a significant output maximum power density of 178.4 mW cm–2 due to the improved oxygen reduction reaction performance. With a SARS-CoV-2 S gene concentration range of 1.0 fg mL–1 to 10 ng mL–1 and an ultralow detection limit of 0.45 fg mL–1, the developed ZAB-SPA displayed strong selectivity, good stability, and exceptional repeatability. The established ZAB-SPA also offered a broad range of practicability for the on-site detection of the SARS-CoV-2 S-gene by using a mobile phone, as well as promising applicability in a crowded environment. [Display omitted] •Hollow mesocarbon spheres, Co-N-C atomic sites, a portable, self-powered, and sensitive biosensor of SARS-CoV-2 S-gene.•Enhanced oxygen reduction reaction ability, Zn-air battery, high open circuit voltage, output maximum power density.•Ultralow detection limit, strong selectivity, good stability, exceptional repeatability.