Sol-gel glass as a matrix for chemical and biochemical sensing

Sol-gel glass is a porous glass-like material produced at low temperatures by the sol-gel technique. Sol-gel glass has been increasingly used as a solid matrix for entrapment of chemical and biochemical agents in sensor development and other applications. This article will provide a brief introduction of sol-gel technique and a thorough up-to-date review of the applications of sol-gel derived glass in chemical and biochemical sensing. The sol-gel sensors reviewed include those for pH, ionic species, gases, and glucose. Sol-gel glasses for entrapment of organic dyes, proteins, enzymes and microbial cells, as well as sol-gel derived selective electrodes, are also reviewed.