Polymers in sensor applications

Because their chemical and physical properties may be tailored over a wide range of characteristics, the use of polymers is finding a permanent place in sophisticated electronic measuring devices such as sensors. During the last 5 years, polymers have gained tremendous recognition in the field of artificial sensor in the goal of mimicking natural sense organs. Better selectivity and rapid measurements have been achieved by replacing classical sensor materials with polymers involving nano technology and exploiting either the intrinsic or extrinsic functions of polymers. Semiconductors, semiconducting metal oxides, solid electrolytes, ionic membranes, and organic semiconductors have been the classical materials for sensor devices. The developing role of polymers as gas sensors, pH sensors, ion-selective sensors, humidity sensors, biosensor devices, etc., are reviewed and discussed in this paper. Both intrinsically conducting polymers and non-conducting polymers are used in sensor devices. Polymers used in sensor devices either participate in sensing mechanisms or immobilize the component responsible for sensing the analyte. Finally, current trends in sensor research and also challenges in future sensor research are discussed. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.