ABSTRACT
Since the 1990s, fibrous carbon nanostructures, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon nanofibers (CNFs), have proven to be one of the most versatile materials used in the field of engineering, science, and medicine. During the past century, carbon fiber research has progressed from thick carbon fibers and filaments to CNFs and nanotubes. Research has also progressed from hollow graphitic nanofibers to the higher ordered structure of CNTs. Carbon nanostructured devices come in different configurations depending on the desired application. Several sensor configurations are manufactured from randomly oriented CNTs, conductive CNT films, and CNT-coated electrode surfaces to transistor-based sensors. Sensing devices and cell-culture scaffolds have been made from vertically aligned CNT and CNF forests and patterned arrays. Whether randomly dispersed or grown on conductive surfaces, the electrical properties and modifiable surfaces of CNTs enable them to be used as electrochemical sensors.
