Metal-Oxide Based Nanomaterials: Synthesis, Characterization and Their Applications in Electrical and Electrochemical Sensors
Enza Fazio,
Salvatore Spadaro,
Carmelo Corsaro,
Giulia Neri,
Salvatore Gianluca Leonardi,
Fortunato Neri,
Nehru Lavanya,
Chinnathambi Sekar,
Nicola Donato,
Giovanni Neri
Affiliations
Enza Fazio
Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, Physics Science and Earth Science, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98166 Messina, Italy
Salvatore Spadaro
Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, Physics Science and Earth Science, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98166 Messina, Italy
Carmelo Corsaro
Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, Physics Science and Earth Science, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98166 Messina, Italy
Giulia Neri
Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98166 Messina, Italy
Salvatore Gianluca Leonardi
Institute of Advanced Technologies for Energy (ITAE)—CNR, Salita Santa Lucia Sopra Contesse 5, I-98126 Messina, Italy
Fortunato Neri
Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, Physics Science and Earth Science, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98166 Messina, Italy
Nehru Lavanya
Department of Bioelectronics and Biosensors, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630003, India
Chinnathambi Sekar
Department of Bioelectronics and Biosensors, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630003, India
Nicola Donato
Department of Engineering, Messina University, I-98166 Messina, Italy
Giovanni Neri
Department of Engineering, Messina University, I-98166 Messina, Italy
Pure, mixed and doped metal oxides (MOX) have attracted great interest for the development of electrical and electrochemical sensors since they are cheaper, faster, easier to operate and capable of online analysis and real-time identification. This review focuses on highly sensitive chemoresistive type sensors based on doped-SnO2, RhO, ZnO-Ca, Smx-CoFe2−xO4 semiconductors used to detect toxic gases (H2, CO, NO2) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (e.g., acetone, ethanol) in monitoring of gaseous markers in the breath of patients with specific pathologies and for environmental pollution control. Interesting results about the monitoring of biochemical substances as dopamine, epinephrine, serotonin and glucose have been also reported using electrochemical sensors based on hybrid MOX nanocomposite modified glassy carbon and screen-printed carbon electrodes. The fundamental sensing mechanisms and commercial limitations of the MOX-based electrical and electrochemical sensors are discussed providing research directions to bridge the existing gap between new sensing concepts and real-world analytical applications.
