Sensors: Engineered Nanowires and Arrays as Advanced Chemical Nanosensors

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Research:The objective of this project is to elucidate the concept of self-assembled arrays of engineered nanowires, where each nanowire can be addressed individually as a chemicalnanosensor. To that end, the PI will synthesize engineered metal-oxide-metal (MOM)nanowires, comprising of a noble-metal nanowires with a small segment being replaced by ananocrystalline sensor oxide: SnO2. In other words, a MOM nanowire has a nanoscale SnO2cylinder of precise dimensions with integral noble-metal nanowire interconnects. The MOMnanowires sensors are expected to have unprecedented sensitivity and selectivity due to:(i) nanoscale SnO2 segment, (ii) nanocrystalline grains within the SnO2, (iii) noble-metalnanowire interconnect serving as an integral catalyst, and (iv) low temperature-sensitivity and low Ohmic losses. Moreover, MOM nanowires offer the rare opportunity of measuring directly the electrical conductivity of a nanoscale sensor material.Broader Impact:This project will result in the training of a number of graduate and undergraduate students in the area of nanosensor research, while exposing them to an international collaboration with the National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India. In addition, the PI will perform K-12 outreach to get high school students excited about careers in engineering.