All-Solid-State Ion Selective and All-Solid-State Reference Electrodes

This paper is aiming to give a brief overview of recent research in the field of all-solid-state, internal solution free, ion-selective electrodes and reference electrodes, employing conducting polymers or nano-/microstructures as solid contacts beneath the polymeric, ion-selective or reference membranes. The emphasis is on papers published in the last five years (after 2006). According to the papers published, poly(3-octylthiophene) conducting polymer transducers offer highly reliable sensors for various applications, involving demanding analytical approaches and miniature sensors. On the other hand, the search for alternative materials continues: the sensors obtained by placing nano-/microstructures (conducting polymers but also other materials, like, e.g., carbon nanotubes) underneath the receptor membrane are intensively tested. The recent years have also shown how useful the application of advanced instrumental methods is for the investigation of processes occurring within all-solid-state ion-selective electrodes.