New chemistry on old CDs

Abstract

Old compact discs (CDs) have been found to be useful for modern chemical research. Their metal reflective film is suitable for the preparation of high-quality self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and for electrochemical analysis; pre-grooved polycarbonate base is ideal for the “customized” fabrication of material micro/nanostructures; and the immobilization of biomolecules on CDs, in conjunction with a conventional CD drive, promises to be an inexpensive tool for point-of-care biomedical diagnosis and gene analysis.