The evolution of amperometric sensing from the bare to the modified electrode systems

The article aims at giving a critical overview ofthe passage from bare to modified electrode systems,proposed for amperometric sensing. An introduction ismade with reference to the development of modifiedelectrodes since the beginning, i.e. from the 1970s. Asubsequent time border is arbitrarily identified around themiddle of 1990s. Since those years, many novelties, comingin part from chemistry and in big part from physics andengineering, induced deep changes in the approach to theelectroanalytical research; they are tentatively outlined. Theterm “research” is intentionally used to underline that wideroom is still available to applications, waiting for efforts byelectrochemists. It is also emphasised that the nature of themodifying systems has been only occasionally tailor-made,i.e. designed and developed on purpose. A strict enoughconnection between the electrochemists and the chemistsexpert in synthesis has been and still is often scarce. Thisnotwithstanding, the number of novel potentially interestingmaterials suitable to develop electroanalytical systemshighly effective in applications is so high that the nextfuture of electroanalysis seems definitely promising. A briefcritical analysis of electrode systems based on similarmaterials is made.