Conjugated Polyelectrolyte-Based Sensor Arrays: from Sensing Mechanisms to Artificial Sensory System Conceptualization

In the past decades, conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) have become prominent in sensing applications due to their unique properties, including strong and tunable light absorption, high sensitivity, water solubility, and biocompatibility. Inspired by mammalian olfactory and gustatory systems, CPE-based sensor arrays have made significant strides in discriminating structurally similar analytes and complex mixtures for various applications. This review consolidates recent advancements in CPE-based sensor arrays, highlighting rational design, controllable fabrication, and effective data processing methods. It covers the fundamentals of CPE fluorescence sensing, emphasizing design strategies for sensor array units and data processing techniques. The broad applicability of CPE-based sensor arrays is demonstrated across diverse domains, including environmental monitoring (e.g., detecting metal ions and explosives), medical diagnostics (e.g., sensing disease markers and analyzing biological samples), and food safety (e.g., assessing the freshness, quality, and source of food products). Further, challenges and future directions in the field are discussed to inspire further research and development in this area.