5 - Metal oxide nanofibers and their applications for biosensing

Abstract

The applications of exclusive nanostructured materials have attained a considerable reputation in the field of biomedical and biosensor research. Considering metal oxide nanostructures as imperative technological materials, this chapter provides a fundamental perspective and report of recent progress on metal oxide nanostructures, especially nanofibers, their synthesis strategies, and nanoscopic physicochemical properties, and an overview of specific applications in the fields of biosensing. This chapter briefly reviews the recent developments of metal oxide nanofiber–based biosensors for detecting biomolecules in biologically important moieties, including cholesterol, glucose, low-density lipoprotein, and breast cancer biomarkers. The biosensing properties of different metal oxide nanofibers toward specific biomolecules are also discussed herein. Favorable metal oxide nanofibers for sensitive and selective detection of biomolecules have also been recognized. This chapter also discusses metal oxide nanofiber–based biosensors, mostly electrochemical biosensors by analytes, and summarizes the advantages, challenges, and scope for the future in biosensing and bioelectronic technology.