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The increased interest in the transition from liquid to solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) has driven enormous research in the area polymer electrolyte technology. Solid biopolymer electrolytes (SBEs) are a special class of SPEs that are obtained from natural polymers. Recently, SBEs have been generating much attention because they are simple, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly. In this work, SBEs based on glycerol-plasticized methylcellulose/pectin/potassium phosphate (MC/PC/K3PO4) are investigated for their potential application in an electrochemical double-layer capacitor (EDLC). The structural, electrical, thermal, dielectric, and energy moduli of the SBEs were analyzed via X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), transference number measurement (TNM), and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). The plasticizing effect of glycerol in the MC/PC/K3PO4/glycerol system was confirmed by the change in the intensity of the samples' FTIR absorption bands. The broadening of the XRD peaks demonstrates that the amorphous component of SBEs increases with increasing glycerol concentration, while EIS plots demonstrate an increase in ionic conductivity with increasing plasticizer content owing to the formation of charge-transfer complexes and the expansion of amorphous domains in polymer electrolytes (PEs). The sample containing 50% glycerol has a maximal ionic conductivity of about 7.5 × 10−4 scm−1, a broad potential window of 3.99 V, and a cation transference number of 0.959 at room temperature. Using the cyclic voltammetry (CV) test, the EDLC constructed from the sample with the highest conductivity revealed a capacitive characteristic. At 5 mVs−1, a leaf-shaped profile with a specific capacitance of 57.14 Fg−1 was measured based on the CV data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presently, the rising concerns about the fossil fuel crisis and ecological deterioration have greatly affected the world economy and hence have attracted attention to the utilization of renewable energies. Among the renewable energy being developed, supercapacitors hold great promise in broad applications such as electric vehicles. Presently, the main challenge facing supercapacitors is the amount of energy stored. This, however, does not satisfy the increasing demand for higher energy storage devices, and therefore, intensive research is being undertaken to overcome the challenges of low energy density. The purpose of this review is to report on solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The review discussed the PVA as a host polymer in SPEs followed by a discussion on the influence of conducting salts. The formation of SPEs as well as the ion transport mechanism in PVA SPEs were discussed. The application and development of PVA-based polymer electrolytes on supercapacitors and other energy storage devices were elucidated. The fundamentals of electrochemical characterization for analyzing the mechanism of supercapacitor applications, such as EIS, LSV and dielectric constant, are highlighted. Similarly, thermodynamic transport models of ions and their mechanism about temperature based on Arrhenius and Vogel–Tammann–Fulcher (VTF) are analyzed. Methods for enhancing the electrochemical performance of PVA-based SPEs were reported. Likely challenges facing the current electrolytes are well discussed. Finally, research directions to overcome the present challenges in producing SPEs are proposed. Therefore, this review is expected to be source material for other researchers concerned with the development of PVA-based SPE material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene and its derivatives have emerged as peerless electrode materials for energy storage applications due to their exclusive electroactive properties such as high chemical stability, wettability, high electrical conductivity, and high specific surface area. However, electrodes from graphene-based composites are still facing some substantial challenges to meet current energy demands. Here, we applied one-pot facile solvothermal synthesis to produce nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-rGO) nanoparticles using an organic solvent, ethylene glycol (EG), and introduced its application in supercapacitors. Electrochemical analysis was conducted to assess the performance using a multi-channel electrochemical workstation. The N-rGO-based electrode demonstrates the highest specific capacitance of 420 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 current density in 3 M KOH electrolyte with the value of energy (28.60 Whkg−1) and power (460 Wkg−1) densities. Furthermore, a high capacitance retention of 98.5% after 3000 charge/discharge cycles was recorded at 10 A g−1. This one-pot facile solvothermal synthetic process is expected to be an efficient technique to design electrodes rationally for next-generation supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kidney-related health problems cause millions of deaths around the world annually. Fortunately, most kidney problems are curable if detected at the earliest stage. Continuous monitoring of ammonia from exhaled breath is considered as a replacement for the conventional blood-based monitoring of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and kidney failure owing to its cost effectiveness, non-invasiveness, excellent sensitivity, and capabilities for real-time measurement. The detection of ammonia for renal failure requires a biosensor with a detection limit of 1000 ppb (1 ppm). Among biosensors, plasmonic biosensors have attracted considerable research interest due to their potential for ultra-sensitivity, single particle/molecular level detection capability, multiplexing capability, photostability, real-time measurement, label-free measurement, room temperature operation, naked-eye readability, ease of miniaturization via simple sensor chip fabrication, and instrumentation, among other features. In this review, plasmonic sensors for the detection of ammonia gas relevant to kidney problems (LOD ≤ 1 ppm) are reviewed. In addition, the utilized strategies and surface functionalization for the plasmonic sensor are highlighted. Moreover, the main limitations of the reported sensors are stated for the benefit of future researchers. Finally, the challenges and prospects of plasmonic-based ammonia gas biosensors for potential application in the monitoring and screening of renal (kidney) failure, as well as the endpoint of the dialysis session, are stated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wide spread of phenols and their toxicity in the environment pose a severe threat to the existence and sustainability of living organisms. Rapid detection of these pollutants in wastewaters has attracted the attention of researchers from various fields of environmental science and engineering. Discoveries regarding materials and method developments are deemed necessary for the effective detection and remediation of wastewater. Although various advanced materials such as organic and inorganic materials have been developed, secondary pollution due to material leaching has become a major concern. Therefore, a natural-based material is preferable. Clay is one of the potential natural-based sorbents for the detection and remediation of phenols. It has a high porosity and polarity, good mechanical strength, moisture resistance, chemical and thermal stability, and cation exchange capacity, which will benefit the detection and adsorptive removal of phenols. Several attempts have been made to improve the capabilities of natural clay as sorbent. This manuscript will discuss the potential of clays as sorbents for the remediation of phenols. The activation, modification, and application of clays have been discussed. The achievements, challenges, and concluding remarks were provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corrosion prevention has been a global phenomenon, particularly in metallic and construction engineering. Most inhibitors are expensive and toxic. Therefore, developing nontoxic and cheap corrosion inhibitors has been a way forward. In this work, L-arginine was successfully grafted on chitosan by the thermal technique using a reflux condenser. This copolymer was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The corrosion inhibition performance of the composite polymer was tested on mild steel in 0.5M HCl by electrochemical methods. The potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results were consistent. The inhibition efficiency at optimum concentration rose to 91.4%. The quantum chemical calculation parameters show good properties of the material as a corrosion inhibitor. The molecular structure of the inhibitor was subjected to density functional theory (DFT) to understand its theoretical properties, and the results confirmed the inhibition efficiency of the grafted polymer for corrosion prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are very promising nanodevices due to their extraordinary electrical, thermal, and optical properties. However, as-grown single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs) contain a mixture of semiconducting and metallic species with great features versatility and variation. Solution-based processing of this nanomaterial is vital for further implementation in applicable platforms. In this paper, important optoelectronic intrinsic properties of SWCNTs in dispersions are studied applying a semi-empirical approach of optical characterization and Tauc/Davis-Mott relation and Max-Planck equations. SWCNTs are found to have a direct bandgap of 2.20 eV, an indirect bandgap of 0.27 eV, an optical conductivity of about 107 S cm-1, and exhibited a metamaterial behavior ascribed to the high negative permittivity. In addition, the optimum parameters for the dispersion of SWCNTs, and the separation of the semiconducting species using simple mechanical methods of ultrasonication and density gradient ultracentrifugation, respectively, without using surfactants are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noise remains an important challenge, particularly in informal settings where planning and regulation are relatively weak. This study aims at developing a model to predict noise in a largely informal urban Kano, the second most populated city in Nigeria. Sound level meter (SLM) 200 TL was used to measure noise at locations covering different land use: residential, industrial, commercial, educational, and administrative areas. Data were collected for seven days, and each day measurements were taken for six hours: 8–10 a.m., 12–2 p.m. and 4–6 p.m. Land use, population density, residential division, traffic volume, and land cover were used to generate a noise model using weighted geographic regression. The findings revealed that noise in the area is higher than the permissible limits set by the WHO and Nigeria's regulatory agency. The model identified population density as the most influencing factor, followed by land cover, traffic volume and distance to the road, then land use. Seventy three percent of the model's residual are below five, indicating a significant association between noise and the variables used. The R2 ranges between 18% and 26% depending on the time of the day. Noise in the area can be effectively control by paying serious attention to city planning and enforcing traffic regulation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful synthesis of ZnO-chitosan nanocomposites was conducted for the removal of methylene blue from an aqueous medium. Remarkable performance of the nanocomposites was demonstrated for the effective uptake of the dye, thereby achieving 83.77, 93.78 and 97.93 mg g−1 for the chitosan, 5 wt.% ZnO-Chitosan and 10 wt.% ZnO-Chitosan, respectively. The corresponding adsorption efficiency was 88.77, 93.78 and 97.95 for the chitosan, 5 wt.% ZnO-Chitosan and 10 wt.% ZnO-Chitosan, respectively. Upon regeneration, good reusability of the nanocomposites was manifested for the continuous removal of the dye up to six consecutive cycles. The adsorption process was kinetically described by a pseudo-first order model, while the isotherms were best fitted by the Langmuir model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, innovative green and sustainable solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) based on plasticized methylcellulose/polyvinyl pyrrolidone/potassium carbonate (MC/PVP/K2CO3) were examined. The MC/PVP/K2CO3 SPE system with five distinct ethylene carbonate (EC) concentrations as a plasticizer was successfully designed. Frequency-dependent conductivity plots were used to investigate the conduction mechanism of the SPEs. Electrochemical potential window stability and the cation transfer number of the SPEs were studied via linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and transference number measurement (TNM), respectively. Additionally, the structural behavior of the SPEs was analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques. The SPE film complexed with 15 wt.% EC measured a maximum conductivity of 3.88 × 10−4 Scm−1. According to the results of the transference number examination, cations that record a transference number of 0.949 are the primary charge carriers. An EDLC was fabricated based on the highest conducting sample that recorded a specific capacitance of 54.936 Fg−1 at 5 mVs−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrospun fiber membrane as a separator‐electrolyte have been prepared in this study using electrospinning process from cellulose acetate, PVA, K2CO3, and SiO2 with different concentrations. Five different concentration were prepared (14–22 wt%) using mixture of dimethyl sulfoxide and acetone in a fixed ratio of 2:3. The prepared electrospun membranes were characterized and shown to exhibit good and well‐structured morphology formed by interlaying of fibers, where the thinnest and finest fibers were achieved at 20 wt% polymer concentration, resulting in average diameters of 480 ± 80 nm. The prepared membranes were activated with plasticized gel polymer electrolyte where its electrochemical properties/performance was evaluated. Based on the good porous nature of the fiber, the membrane with 20 wt% concentration exhibited good electrolyte uptake of 450.75% that is higher than the commercially prepared separator. Similarly, the membranes displayed good electrolyte retention (R) ability of 8.8. The ionic conductivity studies revealed that, the conductivity of the electrospun membranes increased with increasing polymer concentration up to 20 wt% where an optimum ionic conductivity of 3.73 × 10−3 and 7.54 × 10−3 Scm−1 at ambient temperature and 373.15 K, respectively, have been achieved. The oxidation stability of the prepared membrane in this study showed a good electrochemical stability of up to 4.8 V that is higher than that of the commercially prepared membrane and other reported electrolytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research study aimed to remove chromium (Cr6+) from aqueous and industrial effluent by natural Gallus gallus domesticus eggshell waste magnetized with Fe3O4 nanoparticles (MES). A literature survey showed that the sorption of Cr on the modified magnetite form of this biomass had not been explored before. Structure, morphology, functional groups, and thermal stability of the prepared modified biosorbent were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction pattern, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The results of the characterization study confirmed the suitability of Cr adsorption on the proposed adsorbent. The optimization studies were performed to measure the suitable conditions for the adsorption process. The most suitable pH for maximum chromium adsorption by MES was 2. The contact time for maximum adsorption was noted to be 30 min, and the most suitable temperature was found to be 20°C. It was observed that MES showed 95% removal of Cr. The kinetics data for MES followed the pseudo-first-order kinetic model, while the intraparticle diffusion played a significant part in the rate-controlling step. The results described the pseudo-first-order kinetic model for Cr adsorption by MES, with the highest value of correlation coefficient R² = 0.864. The equilibrium for adsorption data was best described by Langmuir isotherm. For the thermodynamic process, ΔG°, ΔH°, and ΔS° were calculated, the value of ΔH and ΔS was –34.622 and –0.11 kJ/mol K, respectively, and found that adsorption of Cr was spontaneous and exothermic. The suitability of MES in industrial effluent was also carried out that offers a green, sustainable, cost-effective, and real-world water treatment solution for water purification having Cr from wastewater/industrial effluent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last couple of decades, the advancement in Microelectromechanical System (MEMS) devices is highly demanded for integrating the economically miniaturized sensors with fabricating technology. A sensor is a system that detects and responds to multiple physical inputs and converting them into analogue or digital forms. The sensor transforms these variations into a form which can be utilized as a marker to monitor the device variable. MEMS exhibits excellent feasibility in miniaturization sensors due to its small dimension, low power consumption, superior performance, and, batch-fabrication. This article presents the recent developments in standard actuation and sensing mechanisms that can serve MEMS-based devices, which is expected to revolutionize almost many product categories in the current era. The featured principles of actuating, sensing mechanisms and real-life applications have also been discussed. Proper understanding of the actuating and sensing mechanisms for the MEMS-based devices can play a vital role in effective selection for novel and complex application design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, electrolyte materials were synthesized by mixing a highly conducting salt (K2CO3) with the poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) in different proportions (from 10 to 50 wt.%). The synthesized electrolyte was characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) for their functional groups, morphology, thermal stability, glass transition temperature (Tg), ionic conductivity, and potential window, respectively. Characterization results show that the complex formation between PVA and K2CO3 salt has been established by FTIR spectroscopic study, which indicates the detailed interaction between PVA and the salts in PVA-K2CO3 composites while the amorphous nature of the electrolyte after incorporation of the salts has been confirmed by FESEM analysis. Similarly, TGA and DSC analysis revealed that both decomposition temperature and Tg of the synthesized electrolytes decrease with the addition of K2CO3 due to the strong plasticizing effect of the salt. The results confirm that the electrolytes have sufficient thermal stability for supercapacitor operation, as well as an amorphous phase to effectively deliver high ionic conductivity. The highest ionic conductivity of 4.53 × 10−3 S cm−1 at 373 K and potential window of 2.7 V was exhibited by PK30 (30 wt.% K2CO3), which can be considered as high value for solid-state electrolytes which are superior to those electrolytes from PVA salts earlier reported. The results similarly show that the prepared electrolyte is temperature-dependent as conductivity increase with increase in temperature. Based on these properties, it can be imply that the PVA-K2CO3 gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) could be a promising electrolyte candidate for EDLC applications. The results indicate that the PVA-K2CO3 as a new electrolyte material has great potential in practical applications of portable energy-storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, electrolyte materials were synthesized by mixing a highly conducting salt (K2CO3) with the poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) in different proportions (from 10 to 50 wt.%). The synthesized electrolyte was characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) for their functional groups, morphology, thermal stability, glass transition temperature (Tg), ionic conductivity, and potential window, respectively. Characterization results show that the complex formation between PVA and K2CO3 salt has been established by FTIR spectroscopic study, which indicates the detailed interaction between PVA and the salts in PVA-K2CO3 composites while the amorphous nature of the electrolyte after incorporation of the salts has been confirmed by FESEM analysis. Similarly, TGA and DSC analysis revealed that both decomposition temperature and Tg of the synthesized electrolytes decrease with the addition of K2CO3 due to the strong plasticizing effect of the salt. The results confirm that the electrolytes have sufficient thermal stability for supercapacitor operation, as well as an amorphous phase to effectively deliver high ionic conductivity. The highest ionic conductivity of 4.53 × 10−3 S cm−1 at 373 K and potential window of 2.7 V was exhibited by PK30 (30 wt.% K2CO3), which can be considered as high value for solid-state electrolytes which are superior to those electrolytes from PVA salts earlier reported. The results similarly show that the prepared electrolyte is temperature-dependent as conductivity increase with increase in temperature. Based on these properties, it can be imply that the PVA-K2CO3 gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) could be a promising electrolyte candidate for EDLC applications. The results indicate that the PVA-K2CO3 as a new electrolyte material has great potential in practical applications of portable energy-storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PANI/chitosan composite and a ternary composite comprising of PANI, chitosan, and reduced graphene oxide have been successfully synthesised and characterised using FTIR and UV-VIS spectroscopy. Optical constants of the composites were extracted from the UV-VIS spectra. The extracted parameters were applied in the simulation of a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor functionalised with PANI/chitosan and ternary composites. The aim was to explore the applicability of the composite-based SPR sensor in the detection of low-concentration acetone vapour within the range of 1.8 ppm–5.0 ppm for diabetes monitoring and screening. The functionalization of the SPR sensor with the PANI/chitosan and the ternary composites shows promising application of the sensor in the detection of acetone vapour at a low concentration down to less than 0.5 ppm. The maximum sensitivity values of about 60 and 180 degree/refractive index change were observed for PANI/chitosan and ternary composite sensing layers, respectively, in comparison with the bare gold-based SPR which shows no response up to 10 ppm concentration of acetone vapour in air. In addition, the two sensing layers show good selectivity to acetone vapour compared to ethanol, methanol, and ammonia. The response in the case of ternary composite shows better linearity with a correlation coefficient of 1.0 compared to PANI/chitosan- and gold-based SPR layers with 0.9999 and 0.9997, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes is currently screened invasively by measuring glucose concentration in blood, which is inconvenient. This paper reports a study on modeling and simulation of a CMOS-MEMS sensor for noninvasive screening of diabetes via detection of acetone vapor in exhaled breath (EB). The sensor has two structures: movable (rotor) and fixed (stator) plates. The rotor plate is suspended on top of the stator by support of four flexible beams and maintaining certain selected initial gaps of 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or 11 μm to form actuation and sensing parallel plate capacitors. A chitosan polymer of varied thicknesses (1–20 μm) is deposited on the rotor plate and modeled as a sensing element for the acetone vapor. The minimum polymer coating thickness required to detect the critical concentration (1.8 ppm) of acetone vapor in the EB of diabetic subjects is found to be 4–7 μm, depending on the initial gap between the rotor and stator plates. However, to achieve sub-ppm detection limit to sense the acetone vapor concentration (0.4–1.1 ppm) in the EB of healthy people, up to 20 μm polymer thickness is coated. The mathematically modeled results were verified using the 2008 CoventorWare simulation software and a good agreement within a 5.3% error was found between the modeled and the simulated frequencies giving more confidence in the predicted results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic field sensors are becoming an essential part of everyday life due to the improvements in their sensitivities and resolutions, while at the same time they have become compact, smaller in size and economical. In the work presented herein a Lorentz force based CMOS-MEMS magnetic field sensor is designed, fabricated and optically characterized. The sensor is fabricated by using CMOS thin layers and dry post micromachining is used to release the device structure and finally the sensor chip is packaged in DIP. The sensor consists of a shuttle which is designed to resonate in the lateral direction (first mode of resonance). In the presence of an external magnetic field, the Lorentz force actuates the shuttle in the lateral direction and the amplitude of resonance is measured using an optical method. The differential change in the amplitude of the resonating shuttle shows the strength of the external magnetic field. The resonance frequency of the shuttle is determined to be 8164 Hz experimentally and from the resonance curve, the quality factor and damping ratio are obtained. In an open environment, the quality factor and damping ratio are found to be 51.34 and 0.00973 respectively. The sensitivity of the sensor is determined in static mode to be 0.034 µm/mT when a current of 10 mA passes through the shuttle, while it is found to be higher at resonance with a value of 1.35 µm/mT at 8 mA current. Finally, the resolution of the sensor is found to be 370.37 µT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the fabrication and characterization of a Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor-Microelectromechanical System (CMOS-MEMS) device with embedded microheater operated at relatively elevated temperatures (40 °C to 80 °C) for the purpose of relative humidity measurement. The sensing principle is based on the change in amplitude of the device due to adsorption or desorption of humidity on the active material layer of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles deposited on the moving plate, which results in changes in the mass of the device. The sensor has been designed and fabricated through a standard 0.35 μm CMOS process technology and post-CMOS micromachining technique has been successfully implemented to release the MEMS structures. The sensor is operated in the dynamic mode using electrothermal actuation and the output signal measured using a piezoresistive (PZR) sensor connected in a Wheatstone bridge circuit. The output voltage of the humidity sensor increases from 0.585 mV to 30.580 mV as the humidity increases from 35% RH to 95% RH. The output voltage is found to be linear from 0.585 mV to 3.250 mV as the humidity increased from 35% RH to 60% RH, with sensitivity of 0.107 mV/% RH; and again linear from 3.250 mV to 30.580 mV as the humidity level increases from 60% RH to 95% RH, with higher sensitivity of 0.781 mV/% RH. On the other hand, the sensitivity of the humidity sensor increases linearly from 0.102 mV/% RH to 0.501 mV/% RH with increase in the temperature from 40 °C to 80 °C and a maximum hysteresis of 0.87% RH is found at a relative humidity of 80%. The sensitivity is also frequency dependent, increasing from 0.500 mV/% RH at 2 Hz to reach a maximum value of 1.634 mV/% RH at a frequency of 12 Hz, then decreasing to 1.110 mV/% RH at a frequency of 20 Hz. Finally, the CMOS-MEMS humidity sensor showed comparable response, recovery, and repeatability of measurements in three cycles as compared to a standard sensor that directly measures humidity in % RH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer is the most common and deadliest cancer type globally. Its early diagnosis can guarantee a five-year survival rate. Unfortunately, application of the available diagnosis methods such as computed tomography, chest radiograph, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound, low-dose CT scan, bone scans, positron emission tomography (PET), and biopsy is hindered due to one or more problems, such as phenotypic properties of tumours that prevent early detection, invasiveness, expensiveness, and time consumption. Detection of lung cancer biomarkers using a biosensor is reported to solve the problems. Among biosensors, optical biosensors attract greater attention due to being ultra-sensitive, free from electromagnetic interference, capable of wide dynamic range detection, free from the requirement of a reference electrode, free from electrical hazards, highly stable, capable of multiplexing detection, and having the potential for more information content than electrical transducers. Inspired by promising features of plasmonic sensors, including surface plasmon resonance (SPR), localised surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) such as ultra-sensitivity, single particle/molecular level detection capability, multiplexing capability, photostability, real-time measurement, label-free measurement, room temperature operation, naked-eye readability, and the ease of miniaturisation without sophisticated sensor chip fabrication and instrumentation, numerous plasmonic sensors for the detection of lung cancer biomarkers have been investigated. In this review, the principle plasmonic sensor is explained. In addition, novel strategies and modifications adopted for the detection of lung cancer biomarkers such as miRNA, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cytokeratins, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using plasmonic sensors are also reported. Furthermore, the challenges and prospects of the plasmonic biosensors for the detection of lung cancer biomarkers are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports the use of a ternary composite that integrates p-Toluene sulfonic acid doped polyaniline (PANI), chitosan, and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) as the active sensing layer of a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor. The SPR sensor is intended for application in the non-invasive monitoring and screening of diabetes through the detection of low concentrations of acetone vapour of less than or equal to 5 ppm, which falls within the range of breath acetone concentration in diabetic patients. The ternary composite film was spin-coated on a 50-nm-thick gold layer at 6000 rpm for 30 s. The structure, morphology and chemical composition of the ternary composite samples were characterized by FTIR, UV-VIS, FESEM, EDX, AFM, XPS, and TGA and the response to acetone vapour at different concentrations in the range of 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm was measured at room temperature using SPR technique. The ternary composite-based SPR sensor showed good sensitivity and linearity towards acetone vapour in the range considered. It was determined that the sensor could detect acetone vapour down to 0.88 ppb with a sensitivity of 0.69 degree/ppm with a linearity correlation coefficient of 0.997 in the average SPR angular shift as a function of the acetone vapour concentration in air. The selectivity, repeatability, reversibility, and stability of the sensor were also studied. The acetone response was 87%, 94%, and 99% higher compared to common interfering volatile organic compounds such as propanol, methanol, and ethanol, respectively. The attained lowest detection limit (LOD) of 0.88 ppb confirms the potential for the utilisation of the sensor in the non-invasive monitoring and screening of diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To non-invasively monitor and screen for diabetes in patients, there is need to detect low concentration of acetone vapor in the range from 1.8 ppm to 5 ppm, which is the concentration range of acetone vapor in diabetic patients. This work presents an investigation for the utilization of chitosan-polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor in the detection of trace concentration acetone vapor in the range of breath acetone in diabetic subjects. The structure, morphology, and elemental composition of the chitosan-PEG sensing layer were characterized using FTIR, UV-VIS, FESEM, EDX, AFM, and XPS methods. Response testing was conducted using low concentration of acetone vapor in the range of 0.5 ppm to 5 ppm using SPR technique. All the measurements were conducted at room temperature and 50 mL/min gas flow rate. The sensor showed good sensitivity, linearity, repeatability, reversibility, stability, and high affinity toward acetone vapor. The sensor also showed better selectivity to acetone compared to methanol, ethanol, and propanol vapors. More importantly, the lowest detection limit (LOD) of about 0.96 ppb confirmed the applicability of the sensor for the non-invasive monitoring and screening of diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optical constants of Para-Toluene sulfonic acid-doped polyaniline (PANI), PANIchitosan composites, PANI-reduced graphene-oxide composites and a ternary composite comprising of PANI, chitosan and reduced graphene-oxide dispersed in diluted p-toluene sulfonic acid (PTSA) solution and N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone (NMP) solvent have been evaluated and compared. The optical constant values were extracted from the absorbance spectra of thin layers of the respective samples. The potential utilization of the materials as the active sensing materials of surface plasmon resonance biosensors has also been assessed in terms of the estimated value of the penetration depth through a dielectric medium. The results show a reasonable dependence of the optical constant parameters on the solvent type. Higher real part refractive index (n) and real part complex dielectric permittivity (ε') values were observed for the samples prepared using PTSA solution, while higher optical conductivity values were observed for the NMP-based samples due to their relatively higher imaginary part refractive index (k) and imaginary part complex dielectric permittivity (ε″) values. In addition, NMP-based samples show improvement in terms of the penetration depth through a dielectric medium by around 9.5, 1.6, 4.4 and 2.9 times compared to PTSA-based samples for the PANI, PANI-chitosan, PANI-RGO and the ternary composites, respectively. Based on these, it is concluded that preparation of these materials using different dispersion solvents could produce materials of different optical properties. Thus, the variation of the dispersion solvent will allow the flexible utilization of the PANI and the composites for diverse applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Charge accessibility in nanotube electrodes and consequent electrochemical properties exploitable for energy storage and sensing device is higher due to their dual surfaces than solid nanowires; however, their controlled growth is often challenging. This article demonstrates synthesis of metal nanowires of cobalt and nickel using a template-assisted electrodeposition technique and its transformation into cobalt oxide (Co 3 O 4) and nickel oxide (NiO) nanotubes by controlled annealing. The materials are characterized for their phase, surface, and morphology. The Co 3 O 4 nanotubes has a spinal-type crystal structure, an inner diameter of ~100 nm and wall thickness of ~220 nm with uniform micropores centered at ~21 nm, whereas NiO has a face centered cubic crystal structure, inner diameter ~90 nm and wall thickness ~330 nm with uniform micropores centered at ~21 nm. The electrochemical charge storability of the nanotubes is evaluated in an aqueous alkaline electrolyte (6 M KOH) using a three-electrode system measurement. The Co 3 O 4 and the NiO nanotubes delivered discharge specific charges of ~324 and ~263 C g−1, respectively, the difference charge storability is attributed to the surface and electrochemical properties. Further, a battery – electrochemical capacitor hybrid device is developed with desirable charge storage performance indicators using the Co 3 O 4 nanotubes and reduced graphene oxide as positive electrode and negative electrode, respectively. This research thereby provides a method for developing scalable, reproducible, and efficient battery-electrochemical capacitor hybrid device using NiO and Co 3 O 4 nanotubes. • Co 3 O 4 and NiO nanotubes are synthesized via template-assisted electrodeposition. • The tubes had higher wall thickness than inner diameter for operational stability. • The nanotubes showed superior surface properties for charge storage. • Co 3 O 4 showed lower electrochemical resistance due to surface characteristics. • A battery – electrochemical capacitor hybrid is fabricated using the Co 3 O 4 nanotubes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]