A review on conjugated polymer-based electronic tongues

Electronic tongues (e-tongues) are analytical technologies that mimic the biological tongues which are non-specific, low-selective, and cross-sensitive taste systems. The e-tongues consist of an array of sensors, being able to produce electrical signals that correspond to particular chemical compositions of a sample solution. The performance and efficiency of e-tongues have been optimized for many years via the development of novel materials and technologies. Various conjugated polymers (CPs) have been used in e-tongues over the past decades thanks to their fascinating electrical properties and wide-ranging chemistries. In most studies, CPs such as polypyrrole (PPy), polyaniline (PANI), polythiophene (PT), and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), have drawn considerable interest in e-tongues because of their controllable electrical properties, relatively facile and cost-effective preparation, and good environmental stability that can significantly enhance their versatility, compared to other types of e-tongues. This review article reports major conjugated polymer-based e-tongues (CPETs) that have been studied with these aforementioned CPs over the last two decades. [Display omitted] •The review is a current update on conjugated polymers (CPs) and their use in e-tongues.•The review is comprehensive including various applications of CP-based e-tongues.•A table summarizing analytical features of e-tongues published the last 20 years.