SBIR Phase I: Sol-Gel Processed Thin-Film Nitrogen Oxides Sensors

这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目将通过溶胶-凝胶处理技术开发基于新型二相纳米复合材料的薄膜氮氧化物传感器。这种传感器有望对NO和NO2显示出极大（非加性）增强的灵敏度，而来自其他气体的干扰可能被最小化。由于传感材料在二相结构中的稳定性增加，传感器性能的长期稳定性也可能得到改善。溶胶-凝胶作为传感器制造的一种加工技术具有许多优点，其中包括，特别是，微观结构的纳米工程的便捷性和多功能性。这些薄膜传感器可以很容易地与硅微电子技术结合，并且自然地允许小型化，低工艺成本和高可重复性。我们迫切需要可靠、紧凑的固态化学传感器。这一创新有望为汽车排放控制、工业过程控制和环境监测提供高度稳定和敏感的薄膜氮氧化物传感器。这些传感器可以用作独立的传感装置或作为传感单元集成到片上多功能传感器和智能结构中。

9860607 This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop thin-film NOX sensors based on novel binary-phased nanocomposites by sol-gel processing. Such sensors are expected to show greatly (non-additively) enhanced sensitivity to both NO and NO2, while interference from other gases may be minimized. The long-term stability of the sensor performance may also be improved due to the increased stability of the sensing materials in the binary-phased structure. Sol-gel offers many advantages as a processing technique for sensor fabrication, which include, in particular, the facility and versatility for nanoengineering of the microstructure. These thin-film sensors can be readily incorporated with silicon micro-electronic technology and naturally allow for miniaturization, low process costs, and high reproducibility. Reliable compact solid-state chemical sensors are urgently needed. This innovation is expected to result in highly stable and sensitive thin-film NOx sensors for automotive emission control, industrial processing control, and environmental monitoring. These sensors may be used as standalone sensing devices or as sensing units to be integrated into on-chip multi-functional sensors and smart structures.