• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.03a
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• pp.137-137
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• 2003

Conducting PPy/PVA composite and pure PPy gas sensors were prepared by in-situ vaporstate polymerization method in a vaporization chamber under N2 condition, by exposing the pre-coated electrode with PVA/FeC13 to distilled pyrrole monomer. The various electrical sensing behaviors of both types of sensors were systematically investigated by a flow measuring system including mass flow controller (MFC) and bubbling bottle. The FT-Raman spectroscopy of vapor state polymerized PPy was identical to that of chemically polymerized PPy, confirming the same chemical structure. Both types of sensors had positive sensitivity when exposed to methanol gas. The sensitivity varied linearly with gas concentration in the range of 50ppm to 1059ppm. The detection limit of PPy/PVA sensor was believed to be as low as 10ppm. The sensitivity of PPy/PVA composite sensor was higher than that of pure PPy sensor. Both the response time and recovery time of PPy/PVA composite sensors were longer than those of pure PPy sensors. The thickness of the sensing film affected the sensitivity this way that the sensor having thinner film had higher sensitivity, indicating that the resistance of polymer film involved in the sensing behavior was bulk resistance rather than surface resistance. The reproducibility of PPy/PVA composite sensor was excellent during eight on-off cycles by switching between N2 and 3000ppm methanol gas. The sensitivity of PPy/PVA composite sensor was only maintained for two weeks, while the sensitivity of pure PPy sensor was maintained over two months.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.16.1-16.1
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• 2011

$TiO_2$ is a promising material for gas sensors. To achieve high sensitivities, the material should exhibit a large surface-to-volume ratio and possess the high accessibility of the gas molecules to the surface. Accordingly, a wide variety of porous $TiO_2$ nanomaterials synthesized by wet-chemical methods have been reported for gas sensor applications. Nonetheless, achieving the large-area uniformity and comparability with well-established semiconductor production processes of the methods is still challenging. An alternative method is soft-templating which utilizes nanostructured inorganic or organic materials as sacrificial templates for the preparation of porous materials. Fabrication of macroporous $TiO_2$ films and hollow $TiO_2$ tubes by soft-templating and their gas sensing applications have been reported recently. In these porous materials composed of assemblies of individual micro/nanostructures, the form of links or necks between individual micro/nanostructures is a critical factor to determine gas sensing properties of the material. However, a systematic study to clarify the role of links between individual micro/nanostructures in gas sensing properties of a porous metal oxide matrix is thoroughly lacking. In this work, we have demonstrated a fabrication method to prepare highly-ordered, embossed $TiO_2$ films composed of anatase $TiO_2$ hollow hemispheres via soft-templating using polystyrene beads. The form of links between hollow hemispheres could be controlled by $O_2$ plasma etching on the bead templates. This approach reveals the strong correlation of gas sensitivity with the form of the links. Our experimental results highlight that not only the surface-to-volume ratio of an ensemble material composed of individual micro/nanostructures but also the links between individual micro/nanostructures play a critical role in evaluating the sensing properties of the material. In addition to this general finding, the facileness, large-scale productivity, and compatability with semiconductor production process of the proposed fabrication method promise applications of the embossed $TiO_2$ films to high-quality sensors.

• Journal of the Korean Physical Society
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• v.73 no.10
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• pp.1444-1451
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• 2018

The surface-to-volume ratio of one-dimensional (1D) semiconductor metal-oxide sensors is an important factor for achieving good gas sensing properties because it offers a wide response area. To exploit this effect, in this study, we determined the optimal calcination temperature to maximize the specific surface area and thereby the sensitivity of the sensor. The $In_2O_3$ nanorods were synthesized by using vapor-liquid-solid growth of $In_2O_3$ powders and were decorated with the Pt nanoparticles by using a sol-gel method. Subsequently, the Pt nanoparticle-decorated $In_2O_3$ nanorods were calcined at different temperatures to determine the optimal calcination temperature. The $NO_2$ gas sensing properties of five different samples (pristine uncalcined $In_2O_3$ nanorods, Pt-decorated uncalcined $In_2O_3$ nanorods, and Pt-decorated $In_2O_3$ nanorods calcined at 400, 600, and $800^{\circ}C$) were determined and compared. The Pt-decorated $In_2O_3$ nanorods calcined at $600^{\circ}C$ showed the highest surface-to-volume ratio and the strongest response to $NO_2$ gas. Moreover, these nanorods showed the shortest response/recovery times toward $NO_2$. These enhanced sensing properties are attributed to a combination of increased surface-to-volume ratio (achieved through the optimal calcination) and increased electrical/chemical sensitization (provided by the noble-metal decoration).

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.131-139
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• 2023

Ascorbic acid plays a crucial role in the regulation of neurotransmitters and enzymes in the central nervous system. Maintaining an optimal level of ascorbic acid, which is between 0.6-2 mg/dL, is vital for preventing oxidative stress and associated health conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, and liver disease. Therefore, the detection of ascorbic acid is of the utmost importance. Electrochemical sensing has gained significant attention among the various detection methods, owing to its simplicity, speed, affordability, high selectivity, and real-time analysis capabilities. However, conventional electrodes have poor signal response, which has led to the development of modified electrodes with better signal response and selectivity. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and their composites have emerged as promising materials for the electrochemical detection of ascorbic acid. CNTs possess unique mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties that depend on their structure, and their large surface area and excellent electron transport properties make them ideal candidates for electrochemical sensing. Recently, various CNT composites with different materials and nanoparticles have been studied to enhance the electrochemical detection of ascorbic acid. Therefore, this review aims to highlight the significance of CNTs and their composites for improving the sensitivity and selectivity of ascorbic acid detection. Specifically, it focuses on the use of CNTs and their composites in electrochemical sensing to revolutionize the detection of ascorbic acid and contribute to the prevention of oxidative stress-related health conditions. The potential benefits of this technology make it a promising area for future research and development.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.115-123
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• 1999

A micro-gas sensor with heater and sensing electrode on the same plane was fabricated on phosphosilicate glass(PSG, 800nm)/$Si_3N_4$ (150nm) dielectric membrane. PSG film was provided by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition(APCVD), and $Si_3N_4$ film by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD). Total area of the fabricated device was $3.78{\times}3.78mm^2$. The area of diaphragm was $1.5{\times}1.5mm^2$, and that of the sensing layer was $0.24{\times}0.24mm^2$. Finite-element simulation was employed to estimate temperature distribution for a square-shaped diaphragm. The power consumption of Pt heater was about 85mW at $350^{\circ}C$. Tin thin films were deposited on the silicon substrate by thermal evaporation at room temperature and $232^{\circ}C$, and tin oxide films($SnO_2$) were prepared by thermal oxidation of the metallic tin films at $650^{\circ}C$ for 3 hours in oxygen ambient. The film analyses were carried out by SEM and XRD techniques. Effects of humidity and ambient temperature on the resistance of the sensing layer were found to be negligible. The fabricated micro-gas sensor exhibited high sensitivity to butane gas.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.207-211
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• 2009

In this study, the sensing membranes for detection of pH and dissolved oxygen(DO) were prepared by immobilizing 6-aminofluorescein or ruthenium complex onto the sol-gel matrixes of GPTMS, MTMS, and TEOS and then recoated with the mixture of hydrophobic sol-gel and graphite for light insulation. The pH and DO sensing membranes recoated with the light insulation layer showed a higher sensitivity than those without light insulation layer. The sensing membranes were immobilized on the wells of 24-well microplate and used to monitor the fluorescence intensity for pH and DO in E.coli JM109 and P.pastoris X-33 fermentation processes. The change of the fluorescence intensity in the DO sensing membrane agreed with the growth patterns of microorganisms, that the membranes are valuable to monitor the DO in fermentation processes. In the case of pH monitoring, the fluorescence intensity has showed good correlation to the off-line pH data, that the pH membranes are valuable to monitor pH values in fermentations.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.191-195
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• 2018

In this study, the influence of microporous structures of activated carbon fibers (ACFs) on dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) gas sensing properties as a nerve agent simulant was investigated. The pore structure was given to carbon fibers by chemical activation process, and an electrode was fabricated for gas sensors by using these fibers. The PAN based ACF electrode, which is an N-type semiconductor, received electrons from a reducing gas such as DMMP, and then electrical resistance of its electrode finally decreased because of the reduced density of electron holes. The sensitivity of the fabricated DMMP gas sensor increased from 1.7% to 5.1% as the micropore volume increased. It is attributed that as micropores were formed for adsorbing DMMP whose molecular size was 0.57 nm, electron transfer between DMMP and ACF was facilitated. In conclusion, it is considered that the appropriate pore structure control of ACFs plays an important role in fabricating the DMMP gas sensor with a high sensitivity.

• Clean Technology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.69-74
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• 2005

A metal ion detector with a submicron size electrode was fabricated by field-induced AFM oxidation. The square frame of the mesa pattern was functionalized by APTES for the metal ion detection, and the remaining portion was used as an electrode by the self-assembly of MPTMS for Au metal deposition. The conductance changed with the quantity of adsorbed copper ions, due to electron tunneling between the mobile and surface electrodes. The smaller electrode has a lower limit of detection due to the enhancement in electron tunneling through metal ions that are adsorbed between the conductive-tip (mobile) and the surface (fixed) electrode. This two-electrode system immobilized with different functional groups was successfully used in the selective adsorption and detection of target materials.

• Advances in materials Research
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.199-216
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• 2014

Noble metal nanoparticles (mainly Au, Ag, Pt and Pd) have received enormous attention owing to their unique and fascinating properties. In the past decades, many researchers have reported methods to control the shape and the size of these noble metal nanoparticles. They have consequently demonstrated outstanding and tunable properties and thus enabled a variety of applications such as surface plasmonics, photonics, diagnostics, sensing, energy storage and catalysis. This paper focuses on the recent advances in the solution-phase synthesis of shape- and size-controlled noble metal nanoparticles. The strategies and protocols for the synthesis of the noble metal nanoparticles are introduced with discussion of growth mechanisms and important parameters, to present the general criteria needed for producing desirable shapes and sizes. This paper reviews their remarkable properties as well as their shape- and size- dependence providing insights on the manipulation of shape and size of metal nanoparticles, necessary for appropriate applications. Finally, several applications using the shape- and size-controlled noble metal nanoparticles are highlighted.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.1975-1979
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• 2011

The modification of a gas diffusion layer (GDL), a vital component in polymer electrolyte fuel cells, is described here for use in the electrochemical detection of antibody-antigen biosensors. Compared to other substrates (gold foil and graphite), mouse anti-rHBsAg monoclonal antibody immobilized on gold-coated GDL (G-GDL) detected analytes of goat anti-mouse IgG antibody-ALP using a relatively low potential (-0.0021 V vs. Ag/AgCl 3 M NaCl), indicating that undesired by-reactions during electrochemical sensing should be avoided with G-GDL. The dependency of the signal against the concentration of analytes was observed, demonstrating the possibility of quantitative electrochemical biosensors based on G-GDL substrates. When a sandwich method was employed, target antigens of rHBsAg with a concentration as low as 500 ng/mL were clearly measured. The detection limit of rHBsAg was significantly improved to 10 ng/mL when higher concentrations of the 4-aminophenylphosphate monosodium salt (APP) acting on substrates were used for generating a redox-active product. Additionally, it was shown that a BSA blocking layer was essential in improving the detection limit in the G-GDL biosensor.