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Review
. 2022 May 26;14(11):2164.
doi: 10.3390/polym14112164.

Recent Progress, Challenges, and Trends in Polymer-Based Sensors: A Review

Mir Waqas Alam  1 , Shahidul Islam Bhat  2 , Hassan S Al Qahtani  3 , Muhammad Aamir  4 , Muhammad Nasir Amin  5 , Mohd Farhan  4 , Sara Aldabal  1 , Muhammad Shuaib Khan  6 , Ishtiaq Jeelani  7 , Allah Nawaz  8 , Basma Souayeh  1
Affiliations
Review

Recent Progress, Challenges, and Trends in Polymer-Based Sensors: A Review

Mir Waqas Alam et al. Polymers (Basel). .

Abstract

Polymers are long-chain, highly molecular weight molecules containing large numbers of repeating units within their backbone derived from the product of polymerization of monomeric units. The materials exhibit unique properties based on the types of bonds that exist within their structures. Among these, some behave as rubbers because of their excellent bending ability, lightweight nature, and shape memory. Moreover, their tunable chemical, structural, and electrical properties make them promising candidates for their use as sensing materials. Polymer-based sensors are highly utilized in the current scenario in the public health sector and environment control due to their rapid detection, small size, high sensitivity, and suitability in atmospheric conditions. Therefore, the aim of this review article is to highlight the current progress in polymer-based sensors. More importantly, this review provides general trends and challenges in sensor technology based on polymer materials.

Keywords: polymer-based sensors; shape memory.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Structure of cellulose reprinted with permission from ref. [24]. Copyright 2010 American Chemical Society.
Figure 2
Figure 2
General process of imprinting. Reprinted with permission from reference [30]. Copyright 2017 American Chemical Society.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(Top) Schematic imprinted magnetic nanoparticle synthesis. (Bottom) Representation of imprinted nanoparticles attached to thiol ligands on a gold surface for sensing. Reprinted with permission from the reference [36]. Copyright 2019 American Chemical Society.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Most utilized conducting polymers. Reprinted with permission reference [49]. Copyright 2021 Royal Society of Chemistry.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Crown ether modified polythiophene for sensing the metal cations of alkali. Reprinted with permission from the reference [58]. Copyright 1993 American Chemical Society.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Monitoring chronic human wounds. Reprinted with permission from the reference [63]. Copyright 2021 Elsevier.
Figure 7
Figure 7
The structure of ethylene monomer (a), vinyl acetate monomer (b) and vinyl alcohol monomers (c).
Figure 8
Figure 8
Dyes were used as sensing moieties. Reprinted with permission from the reference [73]. Copyright 2021 American Chemical Society.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Schematic mechanism of O2 detection. (A) Scheme of the functioning process (B) multilayer assembly of the sensor, and (C) Image of the multilayer structure of the oxygen sensor. Reprinted with permission from the reference [77]. Copyright 2019 MDPI.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Schematic mechanism of O2 detection. (A) Scheme of the functioning process (B) multilayer assembly of the sensor, and (C) Image of the multilayer structure of the oxygen sensor. Reprinted with permission from the reference [77]. Copyright 2019 MDPI.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Thermal display glove for interacting with virtual reality. (a) Illustration of the operation of thermal display glove system, (b) Response time to the thermal and color stimuli in the user test. (c) Definition of reaction time to the thermal stimulus. Reprinted with permission from reference [86]. Copyright 2020 Nature.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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