Collaborative Research: Engineering Miniaturized Gas Sensors with Hybrid Nanostructures

这两个合作项目将使用2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）提供的资金，并符合2009年3月20日白宫备忘录第2节“确保负责任的复苏法案资金支出”的要求。我还确认，作为认可的项目官员，该提案不支持《复苏法案》A部分第1604条所述的项目。该合作项目的目标是研究一种新型的碳纳米管（CNT）的传感平台，该平台涂有离散的SnO2纳米晶体，用于小型化气体传感器。本项目将结合实验（原子、电子、电气和光谱表征）和理论建模，建立成分-结构-加工-感知关系，揭示新的感知机制。通过高性能碳纳米管与流行的传感材料SnO2的结合，所提出的混合SnO2纳米晶体-碳纳米管平台允许以高灵敏度在室温下传感各种气体，否则SnO2传感器（需要高温操作）或CNT传感器（仅对选定气体敏感）无法实现。该项目的研究成果预计将导致小型化的气体传感器，可以快速准确地检测和区分各种应用的痕量化学物质。纳米传感器的原子结构、电子特性、电学特性、表面化学和表面动力学的详细实验研究，以及第一线原理模型，不仅将阐明新型传感平台的潜在机制，而且有助于对低维材料和混合系统中的输运现象的基本理解。该项目将创造一个独特的跨学科学习和研究环境，以培养学生在材料科学、表面科学和纳米器件工程方面的能力。该项目还将通过与传统黑人学院和大学（HBCUs）的合作，吸引代表性不足的群体。

This pair of collaborative projects will be awarded using funds made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5), and meets the requirements established in Section 2 of the White House Memorandum entitled, Ensuring Responsible Spending of Recovery Act Funds, dated March 20, 2009. I also affirm, as the cognizant Program Officer, that the proposal does not support projects described in Section 1604 of Division A of the Recovery Act. The objective of this collaborative project is to investigate a novel sensing platform of a carbon nanotube (CNT) coated with discrete SnO2 nanocrystals for miniaturized gas sensors. The project will combine experiments (atomic, electronic, electrical, and spectroscopic characterizations) with theoretical modeling to establish the composition-structure-processing-sensing relationship for revealing the novel sensing mechanism. Through the marriage between high-performance CNTs and the popular sensing material SnO2, the proposed hybrid SnO2 nanocrystal-CNT platform allows for the room-temperature sensing of various gases at high sensitivity, which is otherwise unattainable with either SnO2 sensors (high-temperature operation required) or CNT sensors (only sensitive to selected gases). The project research results are expected to lead to miniaturized gas sensors that can rapidly and accurately detect and differentiate trace amounts of chemical species for various applications. The detailed experimental investigation of the atomic structure, electronic properties, electrical characteristics, surface chemistry, and surface dynamics of nanosensors, together with first-principles models, will not only illuminate the underlying mechanisms of the novel sensing platform but also contribute to the fundamental understanding of transport phenomena in low-dimensional materials and hybrid systems. The project will create a unique interdisciplinary learning and research environment to train students in materials science, surface science, and nanodevice engineering. The project also will attract underrepresented groups through engagement with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).