The role of nanodimensions in enhancing electrochemical sensing: A comprehensive review

Abstract

Catalytic sensing of molecular biomarkers has become increasingly important in health monitoring and point-of- care diagnostics due to their promising properties. To develop technology for catalytic sensing of molecular biomarkers, financial and environmental sustainability must be considered. Small-molecule biomarkers play a crucial role in numerous physiological processes and are commonly utilized for disease detection by monitoring cell signaling, bioprocesses, cell viability, metabolomics, and pharmacokinetics. Nanostructured materials with varied dimensions have been extensively utilized in molecular sensing, capitalizing on their enhanced electrocatalytic activities. As a result of significant advancements in materials and fabrication technologies, novel nanostructured platforms have been developed in various shapes to accommodate various analytes of interest. The nanostructured platforms can be divided into four main categories based on their dimensionality, including nanoparticles or zero-dimensional (0D), one-dimensional (1D), two-dimensional (2D), and three-dimensional (3D) nanomaterials. Each category of nanomaterials has demonstrated numerous advantages for electrocatalytic sensing due to their extraordinary surface-to-volume ratio and fast electron-hole transfer routes. Still, the existing disadvantages, such as their volatility to chemicals and wetness, hinder their widespread applications in sensing. Despite their advantages, challenges such as susceptibility to chemicals and wetness hinder their widespread use in sensing applications. Recently, the integration of multiscale nanocompositions, particularly 2D functional materials, has drawn attention for enhancing electrocatalytic activity. Our innovative outlook in this review involves integrating multiscale nano compositions, particularly 2D functional materials and fractal nanostructures, to enhance catalytic and electrocatalytic activities. These advancements will drive significant progress in the field of biosensing, offering new solutions for complex diagnostic challenges.