Nanomaterials for Sensor Applications

Abstract

Recently, a large part of the advances in nanotechnology have been directed towards the development of high-speed electronics, more efficient catalysts, and sensors. This latter group of applications has great relevance and unprecedented development potential for the coming years.So far, some of the main objectives for the development of sensors have focused on making more sensitive, effective and specific sensing devices.The improvement of these systems and the increase of specificity are clearly associated with a decrease in size of the components, which can lead to obtaining more rapid action, almost in real time. Nanomaterials currently used in sensor development include a long list of nanostructured systems, as for example: metal nanotubes, nanowires, nanofibers, nanocomposites, nanorods, nanoparticles, nanostructured polymers, and different allotropes of carbon as carbon nanotubes, graphene or fullerenes, among others.