Conducting polymer-based hybrid assemblies for electrochemical sensing: a materials science perspective

Abstract

In this topical review, progress achieved in amperometric sensing of different analytes over conducting polymer-based hybrid electrocatalysts is summarized. We report a variety of synthetic methods and the resulting hybrid assemblies, with the effectiveness of such strategies, for designing conjugated polymer-based hybrids as robust sensors for amperometric detection. Beyond incorporation of metal nanoparticles, metal-oxide and non-oxide semiconductors, carbon-based nanomaterials (nanotubes, graphene, and graphene oxide), and special dopant ions are also discussed. Moreover, some particularly interesting miscellaneous approaches, for example photo-amperometric sensing or use of overoxidized polymers, are also emphasized. Determination of dissolved gases (for example O2, NO, and NO2), ions (sulfite, nitrite, nitrate, chlorate, bromate, and iodate) and smaller and larger molecules (for example H2O2, ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA), urea (UA), amino acids, hydrazine, NADH, serotonin, and epinephrine) is discussed. These achievements are reviewed from the materials perspective, addressing both synthetic and electrocatalytic aspects of the polymer-based modified electrodes. Beyond simple or more sophisticated mixing, a wide range of methods of preparation is presented, including chemical (one-pot polymerization, impregnation), electrochemical (co-deposition, doping type inclusion, etc.) and combined strategies. Classification of such synthetic routes is also included. However, it is important to note that we omit studies in which conducting polymers alone were used for determination of different species. Furthermore, because excellent reviews--cited in this work also--are available on immobilization of biomolecules (for example enzymes) for biosensing purposes, this topic, also, is excluded.

Electrical and thermal properties of PLA/CNT composite films

“…Polyaniline (Pani) is a conducting polymer largely studied for applications such as biosensors, supercapacitors, organic cells, etc., due to their reversible oxidation/reduction reactions, high theoretical capacity and the possibility to prepare thin and flexible films [1]. For all those applications, a thin film must be deposited onto a conducting substrate.…”

Electrochemical synthesis and characterization of poly(3-hexylthiophene)/single-walled carbon nanotube array hybrid materials

“…Mixing of the previously formed components or their solutions, in situ chemical polymerization, and the layer by layer method are all viable synthetic strategies to form CP/carbon nanocomposites [22][23][24]. Note, however, that in these cases, only very little control over the properties of the formed interface between the components can be achieved during the synthesis.…”

Poly(ionic liquids) functionalized polypyrrole/graphene oxide nanosheets for electrochemical sensor to detect dopamine in the presence of ascorbic acid

“…Thin film with two-dimensional (2D) nanostructures has been considered as a kind of promising modified electrode material with good stability and excellent sensitivity for the application to build electrochemical sensors and biosensors, due to its good environmental stability, thinner thickness and large surface area (Janáky and Visy, 2013;Jiang et al, 2004;Pang et al, 2000;Zhang et al, 2014). Graphene is a monolayer nanosheet composed of sp 2 -hybridized carbon atoms arranged in hexagonal honeycomb lattice, which is well known as the thinnest nanomaterial in the world and has attracted tremendous attentions due to its exceptional thermal mechanical, and electrical properties with promising applications (such as developing an ultra-high-resolution electrochemical biosensor with single-DNA resolutions (Akhavan et al, 2012) and the electrochemical detection of leukemia (Akhavan et al, 2014a;Akhavan et al, 2014b)), since it was separated from graphite (Geim, 2009;Geim and Novoselov, 2007;Novoselov et al, 2004).…”