Collaborative Research: Engineering Miniaturized Gas Sensors with Hybrid Nanostructures

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Collaborative Projects0856753 Junhong ChenUniversity of Wisconsin/MilwaukeeAnd0856719Steven LewisUniversity of GeorgiaThis 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).