Polyelectrolyte-graphene Nanocomposites for Biosensing Applications

Abstract

Due to their unique structure, the optical and mechanical properties graphene and its derivatives (e.g. graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide) have captured the attention of a constantly increasing number of scientists with regards to biomolecule sensing. This mini review focuses on one specific type of sensor, that consisting of graphene and polyelectrolytes. Polyelectrolyte-graphene nanocomposites exhibit outstanding detection capabilities by synergistically combining the characteristics of both components, outperforming traditional sensors in many cases. Characteristics and mechanistic details of the most important polyelectrolyte-graphene based sensors will be discussed in detail in addition to some current challenges and future perspectives.