Polymeric Innovations Driving Sensitivity in Electrochemical Analysis

One significant family of organic functional materials is conducting polymers (CPs). In the development of electrochemical sensors, polymer composite materials have emerged as a key component, providing an optimal blend of properties to ensure stability, sensitivity, and selectivity. These materials utilize the electrical conductivity of polymers along with the mechanical performance and functional diversity of composite materials, enabling a broad range of applications from biological diagnostics to environmental monitoring. Electrochemical sensors capitalize on converting chemical information into detectable electrical signals, and polymeric composite materials have dramatically enhanced sensor efficiency. Common conductive polymers such as polyaniline, polypyrrole, and polythiophene are frequently combined with nanomaterials like graphene, carbon nanotubes, and metal nanoparticles to form composites. To meet the stringent requirements for high-precision analyte trace detection, these hybrid composites must feature a large surface area, rapid electron transfer kinetics, and biocompatibility. To further enhance CP performance, additional composite components have been developed, including carbon-based composites, metal oxides, and metals. This study thoroughly examines the various applications of CPs and their composites. The current work aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of electrochemical detectors based on CPs and composite materials, with future research focusing on increasing the production and functionalization of polymeric composites, as well as enhancing sensor sensitivity and specificity.