Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides for biosensing: synthesis strategies, material properties, and biomarker detection applications.

Abstract

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have attracted interest because of their unique physical, electronic, and optical characteristics. When thinned to a monolayer, several TMDs undergo an indirect-to-direct bandgap transition and exhibit exceptional optoelectronic characteristics. In contrast to graphene and other 2D materials, TMDs possess intrinsic bandgaps, phase-dependent conductivity, and chemically active edge sites, which facilitate efficient signal transduction and selective biomolecular interfacing. This review presents an overview of TMD-based biosensors, systematically correlating material properties and synthesis strategies with device performance and application relevance. Key fabrication approaches, including top-down exfoliation methods and bottom-up thin-film growth are critically discussed with respect to scalability, structural control, and reproducibility. As active sensing elements, TMDs enable real-time detection of individual biomarkers and demonstrate significant potential for point-of-care healthcare devices. This review further provides a technical overview of 2D TMD-based biosensors for the detection of biological targets employing optical, electrical, and electrochemical sensing mechanisms. In addition, current approaches, recent developments, key challenges, and future perspectives for healthcare device applications are discussed.