Nanoporous materials with their high surface areas and controlled porosities can offer important benefits for electrochemical sensors. For example, in the case of ion-selective sensors, porous carbon particles can be used as solid-contact materials that provide outstanding stability of the measured potential over time, so that requirements for recalibration are significantly reduced. Using macroporous or mesoporous carbon as solid contacts, in collaborative work with Professor Bühlmann’s group, we have developed all-solid-state ion-selective sensors that could be miniaturized to the level of paper-based sensors, flexible sensors on polymer substrates, and even microneedle-based ion-selective electrodes or reference electrodes for continuous measurements with wearable sensors. Our goal is to develop materials and processes that enable inexpensive, easy-to-use devices, which can be worn by the patient and provide immediate access to trends in biomarker concentrations to the medical personnel. We have also developed mesoporous silica-based materials for optical sensors to detect heavy metal ions or model compounds for explosives.
| 
|