A nIR fluorescent single walled carbon nanotube sensor for broad-spectrum diagnostics

Detecting chemical and biological molecules that indicate diseases is a prerequisite technology for the efficient diagnoses and treatment of aging and diseases in living organisms. A variety of nanoscale sensor materials have been extensively utilized in various diagnoses with their strength in sensitivity. Among them, near-infrared (nIR) fluorescent single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), especially, have shown attractive properties for powerful diagnostics as they can ensure sufficient spatial, temporal, or molecular resolution, tissue transparent fluorescence, and high selectivity based on a wide range of surface functionalization techniques. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent nIR fluorescent SWCNT nanosensor design for versatile diagnostic applications. We discuss how the nIR fluorescence of SWCNTs can be utilized more efficiently in each diagnostic situation based on distinct SWCNT interfacing strategies including direct biofluid sensing, hydrogel implantation, and direct injection into the targets. Finally, we provide a summary of the diagnostic performance and target diseases of SWCNT based nIR sensors and an outlook on opportunities for possible future research directions. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in diagnostic sensor design using nIR fluorescent SWCNTs and suggest potential directions for technological developments for real-world applications.