Recent development in chitosan-based electrochemical sensors and its sensing application

Area of Science:

• Materials Science and Nanotechnology
• Polymer Science
• Biomaterials Engineering

Background:

• Nanostructured materials have seen significant development for diverse applications.
• Natural polymer-based hydrogels, particularly chitosan hydrogels, are gaining prominence in nanotechnology.
• Chitosan hydrogels are cross-linked hydrophilic polymers capable of absorbing large amounts of water without dissolving.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the properties and applications of chitosan as a smart material.
• To focus on chitosan's utility in sensor configurations for clinical and environmental analysis.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on chitosan hydrogels and their applications.
• Analysis of chitosan's inherent properties relevant to smart material development.
• Exploration of sensor configurations utilizing chitosan's characteristics.

Main Results:

• Chitosan hydrogels exhibit desirable properties such as being hydrophilic, antimicrobial, firm, soft, stretchy, reusable, and multifunctional.
• Chitosan possesses extensive characteristics including electrical, photothermal, catalytic, antimicrobial, drug degradation, pollutant removal, and biosensing capabilities.
• These properties position chitosan as a prime candidate for "smart" nanostructure material development.

Conclusions:

• Chitosan hydrogels are highly valuable for fabricating novel biomaterials.
• The diverse properties of chitosan make it an excellent material for advanced sensor applications.
• Chitosan's role in smart sensor technology for clinical and environmental fields is significant and growing.