Chemical Sensors Based on Electrodeposited Metal Nanowires

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Professor Reginald M. Penner of the University of California, Irvine is supported by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program in the Division of Chemistry to investigate the fundamentals of metal nanowires and their use as chemical and biological sensors. The PI has observed an anomalous 100-10,000% increase in the resistance of silver nanowires upon exposure to ammonia vapor, and 70% increase when a single atomic layer is deposited on the surface of gold nanowires. The goal of this proposal is to gain fundamental understanding of this anomalous conduction behavior at nano dimensions, which the PI believes is due to the infiltration of oxides into grain boundaries on the metallic nanowires. Guided by the gained knowledge, single artificial grain boundaries that are optimized for chemical sensing will be developed. These miniaturized constructs will be ideally suited for detection within lab-on-a-chip analysis systems. This interdisciplinary research provides excellent training for students in microfabrication, surface chemistry, electrochemistry, solid-state physics, electronics, and analytical chemistry. High school students from underrepresented minorities will be involved in this research through an outreach plan.