PFI:AIR - TT: Developing low-cost nanowire sensors based on a seed-mediated solution process

这个PFI: AIR技术翻译项目的重点是翻译一种新颖的、低能耗的纳米线制造方法，这种方法将使纳米线传感器的制造可靠、经济、可扩展。低成本纳米线传感器技术很重要，因为它有可能改善多种类型的检测系统，对疾病检测、食品安全、反恐能力、提高作物产量（由于更早发现病原体）以及更好地保护应急人员和工业工厂工人（由于更好的化学检测）产生影响。该项目将产生用于气体/蒸汽传感的概念验证电化学纳米传感器，具有以下独特功能：1)它将基于自上而下和自下而上的纳米制造方法，直接将纳米线沉积在微制造设备上，2)它将通过室温过程制造，3)它将利用可逆合成过程，可能实现现场再生和再利用，4)它将通过模块化方法具有新的或扩展的传感器能力，能够组合合成各种新型有机纳米线。5)兼容柔性电子架构。与市场上的其他竞争传感器技术相比，这些功能将提供以下优势：低成本，可扩展，可重复使用，模块化，适用于各种化学品。纳米线在传感领域的应用已有十多年的历史，但目前市场上的纳米线传感器还很少。主要的障碍是制造的复杂性和在微电子设备中连接纳米线的困难。在目前的竞争技术中，纳米线需要在有图案的衬底上排列并放置在精确的位置和方向上，这是一个复杂的过程。该技术利用金属的微、纳米图案作为成核点，直接在金属衬底上合成纳米线。它是基于种子介导成核的研究。当纳米粒子被用作种子时，种子的高曲率对晶体/种子界面的成核晶体施加不可持续的应变能，从而形成纳米线晶体。此外，参与该项目的研究生将通过接触商业方法、访问技术转让网络和更深入地参与大学技术转让过程，获得技术翻译经验。该项目聘请了一位在纳米技术风险投资方面有经验的连续企业家来指导技术转让和商业化活动，并聘请了一家成熟的技术支持公司来增强这项技术从研究发现到商业现实的技术转化工作的研究能力。

This PFI: AIR Technology Translation project focuses on translating a novel, lower energy method of creating nanowires that will enable reliable, cost-effective and scalable manufacturing of nanowire sensors. Low-cost nanowire sensor technology is important because it has the potential to improve multiple types of detection systems, with impacts in disease detection, food safety, antiterrorism capabilities, higher crop yields (due to earlier detection of pathogens), and better protection for emergency responders and industrial plant workers (due to better chemical detection). The project will result in a proof-of-concept electrochemical nanosensor for gas/vapor sensing with the following unique features: 1) it will be based on a combined top-down and bottom-up nanomanufacturing method that directly deposits nanowires on micro-fabricated devices, 2) it will be fabricated via a room temperature process, 3) it will utilize a reversible synthesis process that may enable in-field regeneration and reuse, 4) it will have new or broadened sensor capabilities through a modular approach enabling combinatory synthesis of a wide range of novel organic nanowires, and 5) it will be compatible with flexible electronic architectures. These features will provide the following advantages: low-cost, scalable, reusable, modular, and applicable to a diverse range of chemicals as compared to other competing sensor technologies in this market space.Nanowires have been applied to sensing for over 10 years but few nanowire sensors have reached the market. The major barriers are the complexity of manufacturing and difficulty in connecting nanowires in microelectronic devices. In current competing technologies, nanowires need to be aligned and placed at precise locations and orientations on the patterned substrates, a complex process to scale up. This new technology synthesizes nanowires directly on the metal substrates by using the metal micro- and nanopattern as nucleation points to grow the nanowires. It is based on seed-mediated nucleation research. When a nanoparticle is used as a seed, the high curvature of the seed imposes unsustainable strain energy on the nucleated crystal at the crystal/seed interface and results in a nanowire crystal. In addition, a graduate student involved in this project will gain technology translation experience through exposure to business methodologies, access to technology transfer networks, and a deeper engagement in the university technology transfer process.The project engages a serial entrepreneur with prior experience in nanotechnology ventures to guide technology transfer and commercialization activities, and an established technology-enabling company to augment research capability in this technology translation effort from research discovery toward commercial reality.