ABSTRACT
Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) have become the subject of intense researches in the last decades because of their unique properties and the promising applications in any aspect of nanotechnology. Because of their unique one-dimensional nanostructures, CNTs display fascinating electronic and optical properties that are distinct from other carbonaceous materials and nanoparticles of other types. CNTs are widely used in electronic and optoelectronic, biomedical, pharmaceutical, energy, catalytic, analytical, and material fields. Particularly, the properties of small dimensions, functional surfaces, good conductivity, excellent biocompatibility, modifiable sidewall, and high reactivity make CNTs ideal candidates for constructing sensors with high performances. As an example, CNTs have been extensively employed in constructing various electrochemical sensors. Compared with the conventional scale materials and other types of nanomaterials, the special nano-structural properties make CNTs have some overwhelming advantages in fabricating electrochemical sensors, including,
(i) the large specific area producing high sensitivity; (ii) the tubular nanostructure and the chemical stability allowing the fabrication of
ultrasensitive sensors consisting of only one nanotube; (iii) the good biocompatibility that is suitable for constructing electrochemical
biosensors, especially for facilitating the electron transfer of redox proteins and enzymes;
(iv) the modifiable ends and sidewalls providing a chance for fabricating multifunctioned electrochemical sensors via the construction of functional nanostructures;
(v) the possibility of achieving miniaturization; (vi) the possibility of constructing ultrasensitive nanoarrays.
