Toward new gas-analytical multisensor chips based on titanium oxide nanotube array

Reliable environmental monitoring requires cost effective but highly sensitive and selective gas sensors. While the sensitivity of the sensors is improved by reducing the characteristic dimensions of the gas-sensing material, the selectivity is often approached by combining the sensors into multisensor arrays. The development of scalable methods to manufacture such arrays based on low-dimensional structures offers new perspectives for gas sensing applications. Here we examine an approach to produce multisensor array chips based on the TiO$_{x}$ nanotube layers segmented by multiple Pt strip electrodes. We study the sensitivity and selectivity of the developed chip at operating temperatures up to 400 °C towards organic vapors in the ppm range. The results indicate that the titania nanotubes are a promising material platform for novel cost-effective and powerful gas-analytical multisensor units

UV-Light-Tunable p-/n-Type Chemiresistive Gas Sensors Based on Quasi-1D TiS\u3csub\u3e3\u3c/sub\u3e Nanoribbons: Detection of Isopropanol at ppm Concentrations

The growing demand of society for gas sensors for energy-efficient environmental sensing stimulates studies of new electronic materials. Here, we investigated quasi-one-dimensional titanium trisulfide (TiS3) crystals for possible applications in chemiresistors and on-chip multisensor arrays. TiS3 nanoribbons were placed as a mat over a multielectrode chip to form an array of chemiresistive gas sensors. These sensors were exposed to isopropanol as a model analyte, which was mixed with air at low concentrations of 1–100 ppm that are below the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) permissible exposure limit. The tests were performed at room temperature (RT), as well as with heating up to 110 oC, and under an ultraviolet (UV) radiation at λ = 345 nm. We found that the RT/UV conditions result in a n-type chemiresistive response to isopropanol, which seems to be governed by its redox reactions with chemisorbed oxygen species. In contrast, the RT conditions without a UV exposure produced a p-type response that is possibly caused by the enhancement of the electron transport scattering due to the analyte adsorption. By analyzing the vector signal from the entire on-chip multisensor array, we could distinguish isopropanol from benzene, both of which produced similar responses on individual sensors. We found that the heating up to 110 oC reduces both the sensitivity and selectivity of the sensor array

UV-Light-Tunable p-/n-Type Chemiresistive Gas Sensors Based on Quasi-1D TiS3 Nanoribbons: Detection of Isopropanol at ppm Concentrations

The growing demand of society for gas sensors for energy-efficient environmental sensing stimulates studies of new electronic materials. Here, we investigated quasi-one-dimensional titanium trisulfide (TiS(3)) crystals for possible applications in chemiresistors and on-chip multisensor arrays. TiS(3) nanoribbons were placed as a mat over a multielectrode chip to form an array of chemiresistive gas sensors. These sensors were exposed to isopropanol as a model analyte, which was mixed with air at low concentrations of 1–100 ppm that are below the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) permissible exposure limit. The tests were performed at room temperature (RT), as well as with heating up to 110 °C, and under an ultraviolet (UV) radiation at λ = 345 nm. We found that the RT/UV conditions result in a n-type chemiresistive response to isopropanol, which seems to be governed by its redox reactions with chemisorbed oxygen species. In contrast, the RT conditions without a UV exposure produced a p-type response that is possibly caused by the enhancement of the electron transport scattering due to the analyte adsorption. By analyzing the vector signal from the entire on-chip multisensor array, we could distinguish isopropanol from benzene, both of which produced similar responses on individual sensors. We found that the heating up to 110 °C reduces both the sensitivity and selectivity of the sensor array

Laterally extended atomically precise graphene nanoribbons with improved electrical conductivity for efficient gas sensing

Narrow atomically precise graphene nanoribbons hold great promise for electronic and optoelectronic applications, but the previously demonstrated nanoribbon-based devices typically suffer from low currents and mobilities. In this study, we explored the idea of lateral extension of graphene nanoribbons for improving their electrical conductivity. We started with a conventional chevron graphene nanoribbon, and designed its laterally extended variant. We synthesized these new graphene nanoribbons in solution and found that the lateral extension results in decrease of their electronic bandgap and improvement in the electrical conductivity of nanoribbon-based thin films. These films were employed in gas sensors and an electronic nose system, which showed improved responsivities to low molecular weight alcohols compared to similar sensors based on benchmark graphitic materials, such as graphene and reduced graphene oxide, and a reliable analyte recognition. This study shows the methodology for designing new atomically precise graphene nanoribbons with improved properties, their bottom-up synthesis, characterization, processing and implementation in electronic devices

The Potentiodynamic Bottom-up Growth of the Tin Oxide Nanostructured Layer for Gas-Analytical Multisensor Array Chips

We report a deposition of the tin oxide/hydroxide nanostructured layer by the potentiodynamic method from acidic nitrate solutions directly over the substrate, equipped with multiple strip electrodes which is employed as a gas-analytical multisensor array chip. The electrochemical synthesis is set to favor the growth of the tin oxide/hydroxide phase, while the appearance of metallic Sn is suppressed by cycling. The as-synthesized tin oxide/hydroxide layer is characterized by mesoporous morphology with grains, 250–300 nm diameter, which are further crystallized into fine SnO2 poly-nanocrystals following heating to 300 °C for 24 h just on the chip. The fabricated layer exhibits chemiresistive properties under exposure to organic vapors, which allows the generation of a multisensor vector signal capable of selectively distinguishing various vapors

Laterally extended atomically precise graphene nanoribbons with improved electrical conductivity for efficient gas sensing

Narrow atomically precise graphene nanoribbons hold great promise for electronic and optoelectronic applications, but the previously demonstrated nanoribbon-based devices typically suffer from low currents and mobilities. In this study, we explored the idea of lateral extension of graphene nanoribbons for improving their electrical conductivity. We started with a conventional chevron graphene nanoribbon, and designed its laterally extended variant. We synthesized these new graphene nanoribbons in solution and found that the lateral extension results in decrease of their electronic bandgap and improvement in the electrical conductivity of nanoribbon-based thin films. These films were employed in gas sensors and an electronic nose system, which showed improved responsivities to low molecular weight alcohols compared to similar sensors based on benchmark graphitic materials, such as graphene and reduced graphene oxide, and a reliable analyte recognition. This study shows the methodology for designing new atomically precise graphene nanoribbons with improved properties, their bottom-up synthesis, characterization, processing and implementation in electronic devices

Energy-Efficient Chemiresistive Sensor Array Based on SWCNT Networks, WO3 Nanochannels and SWCNT-Pt Heterojunctions for NH3 Detection against the Background Humidity

Recently, promising results have been achieved in improving the sensitivity to ammonia in gas sensors through the use of structures composed of heterojunctions or nanochannels. However, their sensitivity is highly dependent on the background humidity under air conditions. The sensor structures which could ensure selective ammonia detection with a low detection limit, despite interference from changing background humidity, remain highly demanded. In this work, we consider sensing units containing (i) nanochannels formed by a continuous tungsten oxide nanolayer to appear in contact between single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and a Pt sublayer and (ii) SWCNT-Pt junctions in frames of mass-scale microelectronic technologies. SWCNTs were deposited by spray-coating on a thin WO3/Pt/W sublayer formed by a photolithographic pattern to be accompanied by satellite samples with just SWCNTs for reference purposes. We elucidate the specific differences that appeared in the response of sensors based on SWCNT-Pt junctions and WO3 nanochannels relative to satellite SWCNT samples with a similar SWCNT network density. Particularly, while a similar response to NH3 vapors mixed with dry air is observed for each sensor type, the response to NH3 is reduced significantly in the presence of background humidity, of 45 rel.%, especially in the case of WO3 nanochannel structures even at room temperature. A multisensor array based on the four various sensing structures involving SWCNT-Pt junctions, WO3 nanochannels, and their satellite-only-SWCNT ones allowed us to determine a correct ammonia concentration via utilizing the linear discriminant analysis despite the presence of background air humidity. Thus, such an energy-efficient multisensor system can be used for environmental monitoring of ammonia content, health monitoring, and other applications

Energy-Efficient Chemiresistive Sensor Array Based on SWCNT Networks, WO₃ Nanochannels and SWCNT-Pt Heterojunctions for NH₃ Detection against the Background Humidity

Recently, promising results have been achieved in improving the sensitivity to ammonia in gas sensors through the use of structures composed of heterojunctions or nanochannels. However, their sensitivity is highly dependent on the background humidity under air conditions. The sensor structures which could ensure selective ammonia detection with a low detection limit, despite interference from changing background humidity, remain highly demanded. In this work, we consider sensing units containing (i) nanochannels formed by a continuous tungsten oxide nanolayer to appear in contact between single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and a Pt sublayer and (ii) SWCNT-Pt junctions in frames of mass-scale microelectronic technologies. SWCNTs were deposited by spray-coating on a thin WO3/Pt/W sublayer formed by a photolithographic pattern to be accompanied by satellite samples with just SWCNTs for reference purposes. We elucidate the specific differences that appeared in the response of sensors based on SWCNT-Pt junctions and WO3 nanochannels relative to satellite SWCNT samples with a similar SWCNT network density. Particularly, while a similar response to NH3 vapors mixed with dry air is observed for each sensor type, the response to NH3 is reduced significantly in the presence of background humidity, of 45 rel.%, especially in the case of WO3 nanochannel structures even at room temperature. A multisensor array based on the four various sensing structures involving SWCNT-Pt junctions, WO3 nanochannels, and their satellite-only-SWCNT ones allowed us to determine a correct ammonia concentration via utilizing the linear discriminant analysis despite the presence of background air humidity. Thus, such an energy-efficient multisensor system can be used for environmental monitoring of ammonia content, health monitoring, and other applications

Expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray structure analysis of Vibrio cholerae uridine phosphorylase in complex with thymidine

A high-resolution structure of the complex of Vibrio cholerae uridine phosphorylase (VchUPh) with its physiological ligand thymidine is important in order to determine the mechanism of the substrate specificity of the enzyme and for the rational design of pharmacological modulators. Here, the expression and purification of VchUPh and the crystallization of its complex with thymidine are reported. Conditions for crystallization were determined with an automated Cartesian Dispensing System using The Classics, MbClass and MbClass II Suites crystallization kits. Crystals of the VchUPh–thymidine complex (of dimensions ∼200–350 µm) were grown by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method in ∼7 d at 291 K. The crystallization solution consisted of 1.5 µl VchUPh (15 mg ml(−1)), 1 µl 0.1 M thymidine and 1.5 µl reservoir solution [15%(w/v) PEG 4000, 0.2 M MgCl(2).6H(2)O in 0.1 M Tris–HCl pH 8.5]. The crystals diffracted to 2.12 Å resolution and belonged to space group P2(1) (No. 4), with unit-cell parameters a = 91.80, b = 95.91, c = 91.89 Å, β = 119.96°. The Matthews coefficient was calculated as 2.18 Å(3) Da(−1); the corresponding solvent content was 43.74%