Electrocatalysts for enhanced sensing applications: a review of materials, performance metrics, and future prospects
摘要
The integration of advanced electrocatalysts has revolutionized modern sensing technologies, enabling unique capabilities in environmental monitoring, healthcare diagnostics, and industrial process control. This review examines the current state and future directions of electrocatalyst materials and their applications in sensing platforms. It covers the remarkable progress in developing novel nanomaterial architectures, from metal-free catalysts to sophisticated hybrid systems, highlighting how strategic materials selection and design enhance key performance metrics including sensitivity, selectivity, and long-term stability. The review also covers a comprehensive discussion of metal-based, metal-free, and hybrid electrocatalysts with a focused analysis of their roles in enhancing sensor performance. Our discussion includes innovative approaches in materials engineering, particularly the emergence of two-dimensional materials like MXenes, and metal–organic frameworks, which have demonstrated exceptional potential for simultaneous multi-analyte detection. The review also provides insights into advanced voltammetric methods used in research for precise electrochemical sensing. Also, the review concludes by addressing challenges in scaling and sustainability, while exploring promising opportunities of combining artificial intelligence and smart sensor development.