Recent Advances of Nanomaterials in Electrochemical Enzyme‐Free Glucose Sensors

Abstract

ABSTRACT The detection of glucose concentration is of crucial importance across various fields such as food safety and life sciences. However, conventional glucose detection methods are often limited by their reliance on expensive instrumentation, cumbersome procedures, and time‐consuming protocols. Although electrochemical enzymatic sensors have been widely adopted for glucose determination, they suffer from inherent drawbacks such as low stability, short shelf‐life and susceptibility to environmental interference. These limitations have spurred growing interest in developing nonenzymatic sensors, also known as fourth‐generation glucose sensors, which overcome the constraints associated with enzymes. Thanks to advances in nanotechnology, significant progress has been made in the field of enzyme‐free glucose sensing. This review provides a comprehensive overview of research published between 2020 and 2024 on electrochemical enzyme‐free glucose sensors based on nanomaterials. According to the type of electrode coating materials, these sensors are classified into three categories, including transition metal‐derived nanomaterials, carbon‐based nanocomposites and polymeric materials. The sensor architecture, analytical performance parameters and fabrication technology are summarized and compared. Additionally, the advantages and disadvantages of different nanomaterials are critically examined, along with current challenges in industrial applications. Finally, the review outlines future research directions and highlights promising innovative prospects in this rapidly evolving field.