MXenes surface functionalization in electrochemical aptasensors: Advances and future perspectives

초록

Despite advances in biosensing, delayed cancer detection remains a major clinical challenge, underscoring the need for highly sensitive and selective technologies. Advances in two-dimensional nanomaterials (2D), particularly MXenes, have accelerated the development of next-generation electrochemical aptasensors (ECP). These advantages arise from their high surface area, tunable surface chemistry, metallic conductivity, and the presence of abundant surface functional groups (SFGs) generated by post-treatment methods. However, challenges related to sensitivity and biomarker specificity remain. SFGs of MXenes are essential for enhancing the aptamer's hydrophilicity and loading, optimizing electron transport, improving antifouling behaviour, and increasing operational stability. This work highlights recent strategies for MXene synthesis, structural modulation, SFG-enabled Electrochemical (EC) applications, barrier materials, protective structures, oxidation resistance, and electrochemical sensing (ECS) performance, facilitated by optimized SFG interactions and suppression of non-specific binding. The discussion concerns possible advances in device integration, reliable deployment, data integrity, commercial biomarkers, biosensor monitoring, and multiplexed point-of-care diagnostics. In addition to these advancements, biomedical sensors and AI-assisted data analysis are discussed as key enablers of clinical translation, accounting for factors such as security, ethics, and regulatory considerations.

키워드