Chemical Sensors Based on Electrodeposited Metal Nanowires

加州大学欧文分校的雷金纳德·M·彭纳教授由化学系的大分子、超分子和纳米化学计划支持，研究金属纳米线的基本原理及其作为化学和生物传感器的用途。等电点实验发现，银纳米线在氨蒸气中的电阻反常地增加了100-10000%，当在金纳米线表面沉积单原子层时，电阻增加了70%。这一提议的目的是从根本上了解这种在纳米尺度上的异常导电行为，PI认为这是由于氧化物渗透到金属纳米线上的晶界。在所获得的知识的指导下，将开发出针对化学传感进行优化的单一人工晶界。这些小型化的结构非常适合芯片实验室分析系统中的检测。这一跨学科的研究为学生提供了在微细加工、表面化学、电化学、固态物理、电子学和分析化学方面的极佳培训。来自代表性不足的少数民族的高中生将通过一项外联计划参与这项研究。

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.