Fundamentals of Nanomaterials and Design Concepts for Sensing Devices

Abstract

In this chapter, we will understand the fundamentals of nanomaterials and various design concepts for sensing devices. In the last decades, researcher explored different dimensions of nanomaterials for different purposes like zero-and one-dimensional materials include nanospheres, nanowires, nanotubes, etc. Two-dimensional nanomaterials in the form of thin films which used in development of optical, electrochemical and magnetic nanosensors and nanosystems. In this chapter, we will be focusing more on magnetic nanoparticles as they have many excellent features such as small size, high surface area, active surfaces, low toxi-city and superparamagnetism. These features of magnetic nanoparticles make them exceptional candidate for design and fabrication of novel functional nanomaterials. Magnetic nanocrystalline materials are also having intriguing physical properties and are belong to nanotechnology-based materials having impact in the fields of magnetic refrigeration, biosensing and nanomedicine. Magnetic nanoparticles are very promising in clinical diagnostic and imaging, therapeutic applications, tissue engineering and have many applications in the environment. Further, in this chapter we will also be briefly discussed biosensors, MR-based sensors, Hall effect sensors, etc.