Metal-conducting polymer hybrid composites: A promising platform for electrochemical sensing

In recent years conducting polymers (CP) are extensively used for electrochemical sensing applications. They are the polymers which shows electrical conductivity. Conducting polymers are very sensitive to minor changes in concentrations of analyte. In complex systems, electrochemical sensors are renowned for their great specificity, sensitivity, and accuracy. These sensors can pick up on solid, liquid, and gaseous phase analyses. The combination of CPs with metal nanoparticles especially noble metal nanoparticle has attracted a lot of attention from researchers. Because of their distinctive electrical and optical characteristics as well as their many uses in industries including Sensors, electronics, photonics, catalysts, nano and biotechnology. An Electrochemical sensor convert the electrochemical response of target species on electrodes into usable signals which helps the detection of various chemical entities. Electrochemical sensor's sensitivity, response times, and stability have recently been explored through the introduction of metal nanoparticles into conducting polymers. To increase the likelihood that metal nanoparticles will come into touch with their surroundings, metal nanoparticles may first be evenly disseminated throughout a polymer matrix. Second, the conductivity of the polymer or its composite structure may be improved by the nanoparticles included within. As a result, conductive polymers combined with metal nanoparticles in the form of thin films or nanowires showing efficiency particularly in the chemical sensing and biological sensing of a variety of analytes. Furthermore, the flexibility of conducting polymers gives the nanocomposite far greater stability. The primary benefits of using metal/conducting polymer as chemisensors and bio sensors, in a nutshell, are raising the specific area and enhancing catalytic efficiency. This review is focused on Metal-Conducting polymer composites and their electrochemical sensing application. Synthesis and fabrication of metal-conducting polymer composites, different sensors like electrochemical sensors, electrochemical biosensors and chemiresistive sensors are discussed as well as the electrochemical sensing application of metal doped derivatives of conducting polymers especially PANI, PEDOT and PPy are highlighted.