The work, entitled Suitable boron-doped graphene substrate for glucose Raman signal enhancement, was carried out by a team from the Department of Control Engineering at the Czech Technical University in Prague, led by Dr. Antonio Cammarata and Prof. Tomáš Polcar. The research uses quantum mechanical simulations to reveal how the concentration and distribution of boron atoms in graphene affect the enhancement of the Raman signal of glucose molecules.
"Higher concentrations of boron in graphene increase the sensitivity of measurements and allow for better detection of even very small amounts of glucose. At the same time, it has been shown that the orientation of the molecule relative to the surface of the material is also key," summarizes Jan Komeda, who carried out the work as part of his bachelor's thesis at FEE CTU.
Researcher Dr. Antonio Cammarata from the Department of Control Engineering at CTU, who supervised the bachelor's thesis, adds: "Jan started practically from scratch, because quantum mechanical simulations and Raman scattering are topics that are not commonly covered in bachelor's studies. He gradually mastered advanced calculation methods and was able to apply them to a current problem in materials engineering. The result is of high scientific quality and shows that even a bachelor's student can achieve the level of an international publication."
From bioinformatics to materials science
Jan Komeda graduated from the bachelor's program in Medical Electronics and Bioinformatics at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the Czech Technical University in Prague. "I was originally interested in the combination of medicine and computer science, but during my studies I became very interested in physics and materials engineering," he describes.
Dr. Cammarata's courses, such as Solid State Physics and Elements of Atomistic Simulations, were decisive. "They inspired me to pursue research and write my bachelor's thesis in this field," adds Komeda.
After graduating from FEE CTU, Jan Komeda is continuing his master's studies in Computational Science and Engineering at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), where he focuses on developing software for scientific simulations. "I'm interested in how such software works from the inside, not just how to use it. In the future, I would like to return to the Czech Republic and continue my research," he says.
University research with practical applications
The aim of the study was to design the optimal material for amplifying the Raman signal in glucose detection. The SERS (Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy) method allows the analysis of chemicals even in very small concentrations and can therefore be used for non-invasive blood sugar measurement.
"The principle is transferable to other molecules—not just glucose," explains Dr. Cammarata. "Such a sensor could help not only diabetics in the future, but also, for example, in the detection of tumor markers or the monitoring of metabolites in biological samples."
The material—boron-doped graphene—also has the advantage of low cost, simple production, and high stability, making it a promising candidate for future sensors for use in medicine and industry.
New study program: Materials Design
Dr. Cammarata is also preparing a proposal to open a new master's program in Materials Design, which would directly follow up on similar research. The program aims to combine computational and experimental approaches to material design – from the atomic level to the scale of practical applications. "The goal is to educate experts who understand both simulations and real measurements. We want to create a modern program that responds to the needs of industry and research," “Unlike usual "materials science" study programs already offered by other universities, our "Materials Design" program will focus on the practical (experimental/simulative) aspects on how to create new materials with target functionalities, then going beyond the mere learning of standard characterisation techniques,” adds Cammarata.
The work of Jan Komeda, B.Sc., proves that the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at CTU provides its students with exceptional opportunities to engage in research – from access to modern computational tools and capacities to guidance that supports them in their independent professional growth. Such results are also a strong motivation for other students who want to try their own research.
About the journal Applied Surface Science Advances
The study was published in the international journal Applied Surface Science Advances (Elsevier), which is one of the leading titles in the field of surface physics and chemistry, nanostructures, and materials engineering. The journal has been published as an open access title since 2020, has an impact factor of 8.7 and a Q1 rating (SJR 1.467). Publications undergo anonymous peer review and are indexed in the Scopus, Web of Science (ESCI), and DOAJ databases.
