Electrochemical (bio)sensors based on carbon cloth and carbon paper: An overview

• Published in: TrAC, Trends in analytical chemistry (Regular ed.) Trends in analytical chemistry (Regular ed.), 2021-09, Vol.142, p.116324, Article 116324
• Main Authors: Torrinha, Álvaro, Morais, Simone
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biosensors; Carbon cloth; Carbon paper; Chemical analysis; Clinical analysis; Electrochemical sensors; Environmental analysis; Food analysis; Surface modification
• ISSN: 0165-9936; 1879-3142
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2021.116324

Carbon cloth and carbon paper have unique characteristics such as conductivity, mechanical strength, porosity, reduced dimensions, and adjustable size and shape. With these materials, different simple modification strategies can be employed, with emphasis on the direct growth of metal-based catalysts through single-step hydrothermal methods. Thus, owing to these interesting features, highly efficient, versatile, and disposable electrochemical (bio)sensors based on carbon cloth and carbon paper have been designed for biomolecules, biomarkers, and hazardous and chemical compounds detection in clinical, environmental and food samples, as well as in industrial products. Moreover, the advantage of facile integration in miniaturized and portable devices, envisages their successful application in point-of-care diagnostics and in-situ measurements. Therefore, this review highlights the main advances and the current research gaps concerning the design of these novel electroanalytical tools. •CC and CP present high electrical conductivity, porosity, and adjustable size/shape.•Single-step hydrothermal methods are the most used for CC and CP modification.•CC and CP (bio)sensors successfully used in clinical, environmental and food analysis.•Excellent performance of CP and CC (bio)sensors reaching sub-micromolar levels of LOD.•Facile integration in miniaturized and portable devices for in-situ measurements.