Environmental significance of wearable sensors based on MXene and graphene

Abstract

Conductive layered materials such as MXenes (e.g., transition metal carbides, nitrides, and carbonitrides), graphene and their derivatives have attracted tremendous research interests in diverse fields of research for their unique structured merits and outstanding physical and chemical properties. Benefitting from their unique layered structures and fascinating multifunctional characteristic, MXenes and graphene serve as vital components in a variety of wearable devices. Especially, due to their large surface area and high electrocatalytic activity, these materials have also demonstrated great promise in biophysical and biochemical sensing systems. Following an introduction into the field, we summarize the recent progress in wearable sensors that can be accomplished by using layered materials, with a specific focus on kinematic, mechanical, thermal, pressure and strain sensors. A further large section underscores the recent progress in MXenes and graphene based wearable biochemical sensors including electrolyte monitoring, glucose monitoring, micro/mcromolecular organics metabolite, volatile gases monitoring and humidity sensors. The next section covers the sensing of small biomolecules serving as biomarkers, which are of great significance for early diagnosis and treatment of a spectrum of diseases. This review underscores the recent progress in wearable sensors to be used in different physiological and environmental signals. Finally, the review concludes with a debate on current challenges being faced and future perspectives.