Carbon nanomaterial-based sensors for diabetes diagnostics

Carbon nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, fullerene, etc., have attracted enormous attention and triggered extensive research in applications such as electrocatalysis, energy storage, sensors, and much more, owing to their unique physicochemical properties. In recent decades, many studies on carbon nanomaterial-based electrochemical sensors for various analytes have been reported. Their utilization in sensors enables better charge transfer, lower detection limits, better biocompatibility, lower overpotentials, resistance to surface fouling, and higher sensitivity. They also exhibit better selectivity towards analytes and provide a high surface area platform for incorporating enzymes. These advantages arise from the wide range of morphologies (nanotubes, nanohorns, nanofibers, etc.), dimensionalities (0D, 1D, 2D, or 3D), high aspect ratio, and tunable functionalities that these nanomaterials offer. In this chapter, various carbon nanomaterials that have been employed in sensors for diabetes diagnostics are explored. The types of carbon nanomaterials, their features, and their synthesis are briefly outlined. Further, the characteristics and mechanisms of enzymatic and non-enzymatic electrochemical and optical glucose sensors employing carbon nanomaterials are discussed. Finally, the challenges and future perspectives for these sensors are also briefly explored.