Enhancing graphene-based sensors with metal-organic nanosheets

石墨烯中的每个原子都暴露在环境中，这使其成为制造超灵敏传感器的理想材料，用于检测疾病、监测污染物、测试营养水平和嗅探爆炸物。然而，由于石墨烯只是由碳原子构成的，为了区分类似的化合物，它很难达到高水平的选择性。金属-有机框架纳米片是一类新兴的二维材料，它结合了有机化学的多样性和金属离子的独特性质。在这个项目中，您将与Jonathan Foster博士合作开发具有不同化学基团的新蒙斯功能化，以提高基于石墨烯的传感器的选择性。了解纳米材料如何与它们所检测的分析物相互作用也是一个关键的挑战，它限制了我们智能设计这种传感器的能力。超快光谱学利用高功率激光器产生超短（持续时间为10-15秒）的闪光，用于探测材料的电子结构和动力学。谢菲尔德大学最近开放的波特勋爵激光实验室是一个最先进的设施，是世界上一些最新的时间分辨超快光谱设备的所在地。因此，您将与Adrien Chauvet博士一起探索MONs的光学和电子特性，并研究新开发的传感器的表面与分析物的相互作用。

Every atom in graphene is exposed to its environment which makes it ideal for creating ultrasensitive sensors for detecting diseases, monitoring pollutants, testing nutrient levels and sniffing out explosives. However, because graphene is just made of carbon atoms, it is difficult to achieve high levels of selectivity in order to distinguish between similar compounds. Metal-organic framework nanosheets (MONs) are an emerging class of two-dimensional materials which combine the diversity of organic chemistry with the uniquie propetries of metal ions. In this project, you will work with Dr Jonathan Foster to develop new MONs functionalised with different chemical groups in order to enhance the selectivity of graphene based sensors.Understanding how nanomaterials interact with analytes that they are detecting is also a key challenge which limits our ability to inteligently design such sensors. Ultrafast spectroscopy makes use of high power lasers to generate ultra short (10-15 seconds in duration) flashes of light that are used to probe the electronic structure and dynamics of the materials. The recently opened Lord Porter Laser Laboratory at the University of Sheffield is a state-of the art facility which is home to some of the latest time-resolved ultrafast spectroscopy equipment in the world. You will therefore work with Dr Adrien Chauvet to explore the optical and electronic properties of MONs and investigate the surface-analyte interactions of the newly developed sensors.