Zinc imidazole framework-8, abbreviated as ZIF-8, is
a member of
the metal organic framework (MOF) family. The chemical architecture
of ZIF-8 consists of zinc metal duly coordinated with an organic ligand/fragment,
resulting in a cagelike three-dimensional network with unique porosity.
Because of such a unique architecture and physicochemical property,
ZIF-8 has recently been explored in various applications such as gas
storage, catalysis, electrochemical sensing, drug delivery, etc. Electrochemical
sensors are currently a hot topic in scientific advances, where small,
portable, Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled devices powered by electrochemical
output show a newer path toward chemo and biosensor applications.
The unique electrochemical property of ZIF-8 is hence explored widely
for possible electrochemical sensor applications. The application
and synthesis of the bare ZIF-8 have been widely reported for more
than a decade. However, new scientific advancements depict tailoring
the bare ZIF-8 structure to achieve smart hybrid ZIF-8 materials that
show more advanced properties compared to bare ZIF-8. The framework
is formed by joining inorganic (metal-containing) units with organic
linkers by reticular synthesis, which results in the formation of
a cross-linked crystalline network with permanent porosity. This unique
porosity of ZIF-8 has recently been utilized for the encapsulation
of suitable guest species to enhance the native physicochemical activity
of ZIF-8. These engineered ZIF-8 materials show excellent results,
especially for electrochemical sensing application. This review is
intended to describe the research, including the one done by our group,
where the ZIF-8 pore size is used for encapsulating nanoparticles,
enzymes, and organic compounds to avail suitable sensor applications.