Functional Nanofibers for Sensors

Electrospun nanomaterials and their applications have increasingly gained interest over the last decade. Nanofibers are known for their exceptional surface area and wide opportunities for their functionalization. These properties have been attractive for various sensing applications; however, mostly electric sensing principles have been reported. An overview of most frequently studied concepts will be presented. A novel approach based on optical detection will be described. Various functionalized nanofiber materials have been used to demonstrate feasibility of realization of miniature sensors of biomedical and chemical values (enzymes reactions, metal ions content, concentration, etc.). Compactness and sensitivity of the sensors are significantly enhanced through original hybrid fiber-optic/nanofiber design. The potential of the new detection principle for various applications (bio-medical, chemical, forensic, automotive, etc.) will be discussed