At the forefront of scientific exploration, electrochemical sensing has emerged as an indispensable and adaptable tool, influencing various industries. From life sciences and environmental studies to industrial materials and food processing, the ability to quantify chemical substances leads to deeper insights, ultimately enhancing safety, efficiency, and understanding.
In this era of advanced interconnected technologies, the significance of low-power, high-precision electrochemical sensors cannot be overstated. Within our homes, interconnected devices monitor the quality of air, water, and soil for plants. In industrial sectors, the demand is even greater. Smart medical devices, including wearables, improve disease management and care quality by continuously monitoring patient vitals, both in and outside medical facilities, pushing healthcare into the 21st century.
Similarly, with the widespread adoption of Industry 4.0 across manufacturing and automation sectors, many industries are deploying vast networks of sensing nodes to enhance efficiency and safety. These sensors monitor toxic gases in industrial processes and enable feedback systems in machinery. In food processing, the detection of spoilage and allergens is critical—electrochemical sensors facilitate automation in flavor verification, pH reporting, and histamine detection.
Whether monitoring blood glucose levels in diabetic patients, assessing environmental pollutants, ensuring food safety, or describing material properties at the atomic level, electrochemical sensors play a crucial role in driving technological advancement and improving our quality of life.
Understanding Electrochemical Sensing and Sensor Requirements
A typical electrochemical sensor setup in electronic engineering involves a three-electrode system, a common arrangement in many sensor types. Inside the sensor, a substrate material acts as a protective layer for the sensing electrode. This material’s primary function is to regulate the number of molecules reaching the electrode surface while filtering out particles that could impair the sensor's accuracy.
The sensor consists of three main components. The working electrode (WE) is where electrochemical reactions occur. When particles strike the working electrode, oxidation (loss of electrons) and reduction (gain of electrons) reactions take place, causing electron flow and generating current. Maintaining a constant potential at the working electrode is critical to accurately measuring the current from redox reactions.
The counter electrode (CE) provides sufficient current to balance the reactions occurring at the working electrode. The reference electrode (RE) measures the potential of the working electrode and provides feedback to establish the correct voltage for the counter electrode.
In electrochemical sensors, minimizing high-side resistance is crucial, and this can be achieved by placing the reference electrode near the working electrode. The current through the low-side resistance represents the output of the electrochemical measurement, which can be used to derive the sensor’s output voltage.
Key Sensor Requirements
Whether used in consumer, medical, or industrial applications, electrochemical sensors must meet several technical requirements set by designers. High accuracy and low noise are essential, and the sensors must support simple calibration processes to cater to a wide range of applications.
Furthermore, many electrochemical sensors are deployed in portable or low-power solutions, such as wearable medical technologies or industrial sensor nodes. Engineers need solutions with low power consumption to support battery-powered applications, and these solutions must be compact and flexible for easy system integration.
Common Applications in Science
Electrochemical sensors find widespread use in life sciences and healthcare, such as detecting blood alcohol levels or enabling continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)—a critical part of diabetes management, which affects 1 in 11 people globally. The CGM device market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9% from 2023 to 2032.
Beyond medical science, electrochemical sensors are ideal for detecting toxic gases in industrial applications and measuring pollution and air quality in environmental settings. They utilize chemical reactions between target gases and electrodes to generate currents proportional to specific gas concentrations.
Electrochemical sensors are also vital in laboratory environments, mining operations, and material production, where they provide feedback on harmful substances to ensure operational safety.
Conclusion
As electrochemical sensors continue to advance, they are poised to make a significant impact across industries. From remote healthcare to environmental monitoring and industrial safety, their applications are diverse and far-reaching. By fostering collaboration and innovation, electrochemical sensors hold the potential to address global challenges and unlock new scientific breakthroughs.
