Silica-based electrochemical sensors and biosensors: Recent trends

Notwithstanding their insulating properties, silica-based materials have become ubiquitous in electrochemistry. Thanks to the versatility of the sol-gel process to manufacture materials with controlled composition, structure and morphology, their use as electrode modifier has offered new avenues in electrochemical sensing and biosensing. This review highlights some of the most recent developments in the field, focusing especially on devices based on engineered nanoparticles and ordered mesoporous silica thin films, and discussing their interest in designing sensors and biosensors for improved electrochemical detection.