A review of electrochemical glucose sensing based on transition metal phosphides

Abstract

The alarming situation of the growing number of diabetic patients has called for a simple, sensitive, and selective glucose sensor that is also stable and user-friendly. In this report, we have reviewed the latest electrochemical sensing technology based on transition metal phosphides (TMPs) for glucose detection. Apart from the oxides, sulfides, nitrides, chalcogenides, etc., transition metal phosphides are less explored and have emerged as potential candidates for non-enzymatic glucose sensing applications. This review will help scientists and researchers to exploit relevant properties for glucose sensing applications, identify the best synthesis approaches to prepare transition metal phosphides, and provide information on the factors influencing glucose sensing and parameters to improve the performance and theoretical insights into the mechanism involved. Therefore, this review emphasizes a few methods adopted for tuning the properties of TMPs to achieve a stable glucose-sensing device. Finally, we propose our perspectives on potential directions for TMP-based material development in enzymeless electrochemical glucose sensing applications.