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Hydrogen detection devices based on gold-tin oxide/reduced graphene oxide (Au–SnO2/rGO) nanohybrids were fabricated by combining a hydrothermal method with sputter coating. The gas sensing performance of the Au–SnO2/rGO sensor was investigated under different concentrations of hydrogen from 0.04% to 1% at room temperature, which indicated a notable sensitive response even for 0.04% hydrogen. The activation energies of hydrogen adsorption/desorption were extracted via Arrhenius analysis which revealed the acceleration effect of gold dopants. This acceleration led to a faster response and recovery during hydrogen sensing. The activation energy analysis provided a more comprehensive understanding on the gas sensing mechanism. A hydrogen detection handheld device is demonstrated by integrating the sensor chip with a portable digital meter for direct readout of test results.

Expanded few-layer black phosphorus nanosheets (FL-BP NSs) were functionalized by branched polyethylenimine (PEI) using a simple noncovalent assembly to form air-stable overlayers (BP-PEI), and a Co3O4@BP-PEI composite was designed and synthesized using a hydrothermal method. The size of the highly dispersed Co3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) on the FL-BP NSs can be controlled. The BP-C5 (190 °C for 5 h) sensor, with 4–6 nm Co3O4 NPs on the FL-BP NSs, exhibited an ultrahigh sensitivity of 8.38 and a fast response of 0.67 s to 100 ppm of NOx at room temperature in air, which is 4 times faster than the response of the FL-BP NS sensor, and the lower detection limit reached 10 ppb. This study points to a promising method for tuning properties of BP-based composites by forming air-stable overlayers and highly dispersed metal oxide NPs for use in high-performance gas sensors.

Meeting the increasing demand for sensors with high sensitivity, high selectivity, and rapid detection presents many challenges. In the last decade, electronic sensors based on field-effect transistors (FETs) have been widely studied due to their high sensitivity, rapid detection, and simple test procedure. Among these sensors, two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterial-based FET sensors have been demonstrated with tremendous potential for the detection of a wide range of analytes which is attributed to the unique structural and electronic properties of 2D nanomaterials. This comprehensive review discusses the recent progress in graphene-, 2D transition metal dichalcogenide-, and 2D black phosphorus-based FET sensors, with an emphasis on rapid and low-concentration detection of gases, biomolecules, and water contaminants.

Real-time lead ion monitoring for drinking water is in an urgent demand, due to the high biotoxicity of lead. We fabricated a reduced graphene oxide (rGO) percolation network based field-effect transistor (FET) by using an easy and scalable micromolding-in-capillary method for lead ion detection in water. The percolation theory analysis elucidates that the required GO mass concentration for a 2D continuum connection converges at a predictable value. Guided by the theoretical analysis, the prepared rGO network was constructed with 1–4 layers of rGO flakes and exhibits comparable electrical properties with single-layer rGO devices. A thin Al2O3 layer was deposited on the device to isolate the analyte from the FET device. With the specific L-Glutathione reduced (GSH) probe, the sensor can reach a limit of detection (LOD) in ppb-level to lead ions. In addition, good selectivity and the high sensing response to Pb2+ concentrations around 15 ppb (maximum contaminant level of lead for drinking water, US Environmental Protection Agency) suggest our sensor holds great potential for lead ion monitoring in drinking water.

This work describes a promising strategy for large-scale fabrication of silicon (Si) nanotubes. The process began with preparation of silica nanotubes using rod-like NiN2H4 as a template and the resulting silica nanotubes were then converted to Si nanotubes by a thermal reduction process assisted with magnesium powder. The electrochemical properties of Si nanotubes were investigated as anode of lithium-ion batteries. It was demonstrated that the as-developed Si nanotubes showed significantly improved rate capability and long-term cycling performance compared with commercial silicon meshes. Keywords: Silicon nanotubes, Lithium-ion batteries, Anode

A semi-empirical equation is derived to provide a correlation between the ozone generation rate of a negative wire-to-plate corona discharge in both dry and humid air and a series of design/operating parameters. A basic correlation is first derived by applying dimensional analysis on negative wire-to-plate corona discharge in dry air. Further development on the basic correlation is carried out by integrating the influence of humidity. The derived equation is validated by previously reported experimental data and numerical model. The new semi-empirical equation is comprehensive and useful in guiding the design/operation of indoor corona devices under actual ambient operating conditions.

We report a selective, room-temperature NH(3) gas-sensing platform with enhanced sensitivity, superfast response and recovery, and good stability, using Ag nanocrystal-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (Ag NC-MWCNTs). Ag NCs were synthesized by a simple mini-arc plasma method and directly assembled on MWCNTs using an electrostatic force-directed assembly process. The nanotubes were assembled onto gold electrodes with both ends in Ohmic contact. The addition of Ag NCs on MWCNTs resulted in dramatically improved sensitivity toward NH(3). Upon exposure to 1% NH(3) at room temperature, Ag NC-MWCNTs showed enhanced sensitivity (~9%), very fast response (~7 s), and full recovery within several minutes in air. Through density functional theory calculations, we found that the fully oxidized Ag surface plays a critical role in the sensor response. Ammonia molecules are adsorbed at Ag hollow sites on the AgO surface with H pointing toward Ag. A net charge transfer from NH(3) to the Ag NC-MWCNTs hybrid leads to the conductance change in the hybrid.

We report the fabrication of a highly sensitive field-effect transistor (FET) biosensor using thermally-reduced graphene oxide (TRGO) sheets functionalized with gold nanoparticle (NP)-antibody conjugates. Probe antibody was labeled on the surface of TRGO sheets through Au NPs and electrical detection of protein binding (Immunoglobulin G/IgG and anti-Immunoglobulin G/anti-IgG) was accomplished by FET and direct current (dc) measurements. The protein binding events induced significant changes in the resistance of the TRGO sheet, which is referred to as the sensor response. The dependence of the sensor response on the TRGO base resistance in the sensor and the antibody areal density on the TRGO sheet was systematically studied, from which a correlation of the sensor response with sensor parameters was found: the sensor response was more significant with larger TRGO base resistance and higher antibody areal density. The detection limit of the novel biosensor was around the 0.2 ng/mL level, which is among the best of reported carbon nanomaterial-based protein sensors and can be further optimized by tuning the sensor structure. Open image in new window

Synthesis of carbon nanowalls (CNWs) at atmospheric pressure is realized by using a negative normal glow discharge, which differs from prior low-pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition methods for CNW growth and holds great potential for mass-production of CNWs. The glow discharge is characterized for electrical and optical properties. The resulting CNW structures are analyzed using transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The CNW growth process is examined for effects of discharge regime, discharge duration (growth time), hydroxyl radicals (water vapor), and local current density. Possible CNW growth mechanism and critical process parameters to the CNW growth and evolution are identified. OH radicals play an essential role in the initial nucleation process, but excess OH radicals accelerate the oxidation of CNWs. For a fixed growth time, there exists an optimum feed gas relative humidity and an optimum current density (∼40% and ∼9.17 A/m2, respectively, in the current work) for the growth of large and less defective CNWs with a high degree of crystallinity. Results obtained in this study can be used to tailor final properties of the as-grown CNWs for various applications.

The growth of CuO nanowires (NWs) through direct oxidation of copper is widely utilized. We give further evidence of a short-circuit, grain boundary diffusion mechanism. First, we show enhanced CuO NW growth through oxidizing nanocrystalline Cu. Second, we show the presence of a bi-crystal structure with a Cu rich (1 1 −2)/(0 0 −1) boundary along the entire length of the NW. Our analysis suggests that the growth of CuO NWs occurs via the short-circuit diffusion of Cu ions across the Cu 2 O layer, followed by short-circuit diffusion along the CuO NW bi-crystal grain boundary and to the NW tip, where subsequent oxidation occurs.

Stimuli-responsive field-effect transistors (FETs) based on 2D nanomaterials have been considered as attractive candidates for sensing applications due to their rapid response, high sensitivity, and real-time monitoring capabilities. Here we report on an impedance spectroscopy technique for FET sensor applications with ultra-high sensitivity and good reproducibility. An alumina-gated FET, using an ultra-thin black phosphorus flake as the channel material, shows significantly improved stability and ultra-high sensitivity to lead ions in water. In addition, the phase angle in the low frequency region was found to change significantly in the presence of lead ion solutions, whereas it was almost unchanged in the high frequency region. The dominant sensing performance was found at low frequency phase spectrum around 50 Hz and a systematic change in the phase angle in different lead ion concentrations was found. Applying the impedance spectroscopy technique to insulator-gated FET sensors could open a new avenue for real-world sensor applications.

This study demonstrates the electrical detection of protein binding by the introduction of Au nanoparticle–antibody conjugates in a carbon nanotube field effect transistor (CNTFET), in which the nanoparticle-functionalized carbon nanotube serves as the electrical conducting channel. Antibody (anti-horseradish peroxidase) and antigen (horseradish peroxidase) binding events lead to the amplitude change in the drain current, which can be sensitively detected by FET measurements. The sensor shows negligible response to mismatched proteins such as Immunoglobulin G (IgG), confirming the specificity of the biosensor. The reported CNTFET-based biosensor could be adapted to detect a variety of proteins for in vitro diagnostics.

In this article, we introduce and provide details on a large-scale, cost-effective pathway to fabricating ultrahigh dense CuO nanowire arrays by thermal oxidation of Cu substrates in oxygen ambient. The CuO nanowires that are produced at ∼500 °C for ∼150 min feature an average length and diameter of ∼15 μm and ∼200 nm, respectively. The room temperature device-related characteristics such as transport, analyte detection and opto-electronic response of individual CuO nanowires have been probed by fabricating single CuO nanowire devices with the use of lift-off photolithographical techniques. The experiments confirm that as-grown nanowires are of p-type, have a band gap of ∼1.4 eV, and show strong sensitivity to both NO2 and NH3 gases. The devices also showed strong response to white light with device responsivity approaching ∼8 A/W for optical power densities of only ∼1 mW/cm2. Additionally, a complex interaction of photoproduced electron−hole pairs with the surface-originating chemisorbed agents including...

A new gas-sensing platform for low-concentration gases (NO{sub 2}, H{sub 2}, and CO) comprises discrete SnO{sub 2} nanocrystals uniformly distributed on the surface of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The resulting hybrid nanostructures are highly sensitive, even at room temperature, because their gas sensing abilities rely on electron transfer between the nanocrystals and the CNTs.

Facile dry decoration of graphene oxide sheets with aerosol Ag nanocrystals synthesized from an arc plasma source has been demonstrated using an electrostatic force directed assembly technique at room temperature. The Ag nanocrystal-graphene oxide hybrid structure was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selected area diffraction. The ripening of Ag nanocrystals on a graphene oxide sheet was studied by consecutive TEM imaging of the same region on a sample after heating in Ar at elevated temperatures of 100 °C, 200 °C, and 300 °C. The average size of Ag nanocrystals increased and the number density decreased after the annealing process. In particular, migration and coalescence of Ag nanocrystals were observed at a temperature as low as 100 °C, suggesting a van der Waals interaction between the Ag nanocrystal and the graphene oxide sheet. The availability of affordable graphene-nanocrystal structures and their fundamental properties will open up new opportunities for nanoscience and nanotechnology and accelerate their applications.

Tin oxide (SnO2) nanocrystals of a few nanometers are of great interest for electronic applications. Here we present a mini-arc plasma method to produce aerosol tin oxide nanocrystals at atmospheric pressure. The product SnO2 nanocrystals are then assembled onto the external surface of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to form hybrid SnO2–CNT structures. The absorption properties of both the SnO2 nanocrystals and the SnO2–CNT hybrid structures have been characterized. Quantum size effects have been observed for as-produced SnO2 nanocrystals. The intrinsic nanoparticle size selection during the assembly process results in a blue shift of the absorption spectrum for hybrid nanostructures.

This article reviews the research on the use of graphene and related materials in the photoanode of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Graphene-based materials, such as pristine graphene, graphene oxide, and reduced graphene oxide, have properties attractive for various components of the DSSC photoanode. We first provide a brief introduction to graphene properties and analyze requirements for making a high-performance photoanode. Then, we introduce applications of graphene-based materials in each part of the DSSC photoanode, i.e., the transparent conducting electrode, the sensitizing material, and the semiconducting layer. Particularly, we discuss how the incorporation of graphene-based materials in those components can enhance the photoanode performance. It is clear that the outstanding properties of graphene, such as the fast electron transfer ability, high Young’s modulus, and good transparency, benefit DSSC photoanode research, and doping or surface modifications of graphene nanosheets with other materials can also improve the photoanode and, thus, the resulting cell performance. Finally, we present an outlook for current issues and further trends for using graphene materials in DSSC photoanodes.

As an atomic-thick layer material, graphene has a large specific surface area, a high electron mobility, and a high sensitivity to electronic perturbations from adsorption/desorption of molecules, which are attractive properties from the sensing perspective. Graphene has been widely studied for sensing applications, e.g., in biosensors and gas sensors. On the other hand, although graphene shows promise in miniaturized and high-performance sensors, many challenges still remain for the low-cost and large-scale fabrication of graphene sensors with reliable performance. Recently, vertically-oriented graphene (VG) has emerged as a new type of graphene material, and VG-based nanostructures have been explored to advance the sensing technology due to VG’s unique structure and properties. Using VG as the sensing element, VG sensors have been studied for the detection of biomolecules (e.g., proteins, DNA, and bacteria) and gases (e.g., NO2, NH3, and H2). The VG-based sensors have shown promising features that could be used to address some challenges of current sensing technologies for biomolecule and gas detection, e.g., high cost, low sensitivity/selectivity, and/or being unsuitable for in situ and real-time detection. Due to its vertical orientation and high conductivity, VG has also been used in green corona discharge with low ozone generation, which is another important application of VG in environmental fields. In this chapter, representative VG-based sensors and VG corona discharge are introduced and discussed.

The plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) is an effective method for producing vertically-oriented graphene (VG) sheets, but it is also a very complex one because of the complexity associated with the plasma chemistry. In addition to the type of plasma sources discussed in Chap. 3, the morphology and structure of the PECVD-produced VG sheets are also strongly affected by a set of operating parameters, including precursors (e.g., feedstock gas type and composition, plasma gas type), the substrate temperature, and the operating pressure. In this chapter, we discuss two important operating parameters for the synthesis of VG in the PECVD process, specifically precursor and temperature.

This study aims to realize controllable synthesis of Si-based nanostructures from common and easily accessible silica nanoparticles and to study their component/structure-dependent electrochemical performance as an anode of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). To this end, a controllable route based on deliberate design has been developed to prepare hollow Si-based nanospheres with tunable composition and crystal structure at the nanoscale. The synthesis process started with coating silica nanoparticles with a carbonaceous polymer with a controllable thickness followed by magnesiothermic reduction. An Si–SiC–C composite was finally produced with a unique hollow sphere structure featuring Si–SiC nanoparticles encapsulated by a cross-linked carbon film network. In addition to the scalability of the synthetic route, the resulting composite exhibits a number of advantageous properties, including excellent electrical conductivity, highly accessible surfaces, structural coherence, and a favorable structure for the formation of a stable solid-electrolyte interphase, which makes it attractive and promising for advanced anode materials of LIBs.

Crumpled graphene oxide (GO)/graphene is a new type of carbon nanostructure that has drawn growing attention due to its three-dimensional open structure and excellent stability in an aqueous solution. Here we report a general and one-step approach to produce crumpled graphene (CG)-nanocrystal hybrids, which are produced by direct aerosolization of a GO suspension mixed with precursor ions. Nanocrystals spontaneously grow from precursor ions and assemble on both external and internal surfaces of CG balls during the solvent evaporation and GO crumpling process. More importantly, CG-nanocrystal hybrids can be directly deposited onto various current-collecting substrates, enabling their tremendous potential for energy applications. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate the use of hybrid electrodes of CG-Mn(3)O(4) and CG-SnO(2) in an electrochemical supercapacitor and a lithium-ion battery, respectively. The performance of the resulting capacitor/battery is attractive and outperforms conventional flat graphene-based hybrid devices. This study provides a new and facile route to fabricating high-performance hybrid CG-nanocrystal electrodes for various energy systems.

Continuous scientifi c endeavors have been directed toward the optimization of graphene by manipulating its electronic, mechanical, chemical, and structural properties, such as surface area, pore geometry, and functional sites, in order to advance various potential applications, including nanoelectronics, energy storage/conversion, and catalysis. [ 1 ] The structural reformation of graphene, from pore generation to morphology transformation, is receiving growing attention, because the reconstruction of graphene could potentially result in localized highly reactive regions and thus unexpected properties for specifi c applications. [ 2 ] For instance, it was reported that crumpled graphene allows for the fabrication of polymer-graphene nanocomposite fi lms with low O 2 permeability and effective reduction of transparency. [ 3 ] Chemical functionalization of graphene (e.g., graphene oxide or GO) is another effective method for manipulating physical and chemical properties of graphene, because enriched reactive oxygen functional groups in GO can provide ample covalent bonding sites for the chemical functionalization. The functionalized GO can be easily converted to graphene-like materials through chemical or thermal reduction of GO. [ 4 ] For instance, nitrogen-doped graphene (NG) can be synthesized through thermal annealing of GO in ammonia, and the resulting NG showed some unique properties including improved conductivity and excellent catalytic activity. Actually, NG has been intensively investigated as electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries, catalysts for oxygen reduction reac

Fast and accurate detection of aqueous contaminants is of significant importance as these contaminants raise serious risks for human health and the environment. Mercury and its compounds are highly toxic and can cause various illnesses; however, current mercury detectors suffer from several disadvantages, such as slow response, high cost, and lack of portability. Here, we report field-effect transistor (FET) sensors based on thermally reduced graphene oxide (rGO) with thioglycolic acid (TGA) functionalized gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) (or rGO/TGA-AuNP hybrid structures) for detecting mercury(II) ions in aqueous solutions. The lowest mercury(II) ion concentration detected by the sensor is 2.5 × 10(-8) M. The drain current shows rapid response within less than 10 s after the solution containing Hg(2+) ions was added to the active area of the rGO/TGA-AuNP hybrid sensors. Our work suggests that rGO/TGA-AuNP hybrid structures are promising for low-cost, portable, real-time, heavy metal ion detectors.

Nanomaterials with controllable morphology and composition are synthesized by a simple one-step vapor condensation process using a mini-arc plasma source. Through systematic investigation of mini-arc reactor parameters, the roles of carrier gas, electrode material, and precursor on producing diverse nanomaterial products are revealed. Desired nanomaterial products, including tungsten oxide nanoparticles (NPs), tungsten oxide nanorods (NRs), tungsten oxide and tin oxide NP mixtures and pure tin dioxide NPs can thus be obtained by tailoring reaction conditions. The amount of oxygen in the reactor is critical to determining the final nanomaterial product. Without any precursor material present, a lower level of oxygen in the reactor favors the production of W18O49 NRs with tungsten as cathode, while a high level of oxygen produces more round WO3 NPs. With the presence of a precursor material, amorphous particles are favored with a high ratio of argon:oxygen. Oxygen is also found to affect tin oxide crystallization from its amorphous phase in the thermal annealing. Results from this study can be used for guiding gas phase nanomaterial synthesis in the future.

As silicon-based electronics are reaching the nanosize limits of the semiconductor roadmap, carbon-based nanoelectronics has become a rapidly growing field, with great interest in tuning the properties of carbon-based materials. Chemical functionalization is a proposed route, but syntheses of graphene oxide (G-O) produce disordered, nonstoichiometric materials with poor electronic properties. We report synthesis of an ordered, stoichiometric, solid-state carbon oxide that has never been observed in nature and coexists with graphene. Formation of this material, graphene monoxide (GMO), is achieved by annealing multilayered G-O. Our results indicate that the resulting thermally reduced G-O (TRG-O) consists of a two-dimensional nanocrystalline phase segregation: unoxidized graphitic regions are separated from highly oxidized regions of GMO. GMO has a quasi-hexagonal unit cell, an unusually high 1:1 O:C ratio, and a calculated direct band gap of ∼0.9 eV.

A simple method that combines an electrospray technique with directed assembly using an electrostatic field was used for decorating carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with nanocrystals. Colloidal CdSe and Au nanocrystals were electrosprayed and assembled onto random CNTs and vertically aligned CNTs in a controlled manner. The high level of electrical charge on the electrosprayed aerosol nanocrystals was responsible for the assembly. The technique can be used to assemble various compositions of nanomaterials onto different substrates and provides a versatile route for producing novel hybrid nanostructures.

A linker-free reduced graphene oxide (R-GO)-CdSe nanoparticle (CdSe NP) hybrid nanostructure was synthesized using a chemical vapor deposition method. CdSe NPs were selectively deposited on the surface of R-GO with controlled NP size and coverage. The distribution and morphology of CdSe NPs on R-GO were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The resulting hybrid nanostructure exhibited photoresponse to both laser and simulated sunlight AM 1.5G excitation. The hybrid structure with low CdSe NP coverage showed distinct photoresponse times in air, N(2), NH(3), and NO(2), while high CdSe NP coverage led to nearly constant but three orders of magnitude smaller response time in all gases. Such a difference in photoresponse as a function of NP coverage is attributed to the energy band bending at the interface between the R-GO and the CdSe NP. The selective deposition of CdSe NPs on R-GO and the understanding of the subsequent photoinduced charge transfer can potentially lead to high-performance optoelectronic devices.

Reduced graphene oxide (R-GO) under a positive gate potential (n-type conductance) exhibits an instantaneous response and fast recovery for NH(3) sensing, far superior to the performance in p-mode at zero/negative gate potential. Our findings have important implications for fast, repeatable, room temperature gas detection using graphene/R-GO.

Carbon nanowalls (CNWs), two-dimensional "graphitic" platelets that are typically oriented vertically on a substrate, can exhibit similar properties as graphene. Growth of CNWs reported to date was exclusively carried out at a low pressure. Here, we report on the synthesis of CNWs at atmosphere pressure using "direct current plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition" by taking advantage of the high electric field generated in a pin-plate dc glow discharge. CNWs were grown on silicon, stainless steel, and copper substrates without deliberate introduction of catalysts. The as-grown CNW material was mainly mono- and few-layer graphene having patches of O-containing functional groups. However, Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies confirmed that most of the oxygen groups could be removed by thermal annealing. A gas-sensing device based on such CNWs was fabricated on metal electrodes through direct growth. The sensor responded to relatively low concentrations of NO2 (g) and NH3 (g), thus suggesting high-quality CNWs that are useful for room temperature gas sensors.PACS: Graphene (81.05.ue), Chemical vapor deposition (81.15.Gh), Gas sensors (07.07.Df), Atmospheric pressure (92.60.hv)

Graphene is worth evaluating for chemical sensing and biosensing due to its outstanding physical and chemical properties. We first report on the fabrication and characterization of gas sensors using a back-gated field-effect transistor platform with chemically reduced graphene oxide (R-GO) as the conducting channel. These sensors exhibited a 360% increase in response when exposed to 100 ppm NO(2) in air, compared with thermally reduced graphene oxide sensors we reported earlier. We then present a new method of signal processing/data interpretation that addresses (i) sensing devices with long recovery periods (such as required for sensing gases with these R-GO sensors) as well as (ii) device-to-device variations. A theoretical analysis is used to illuminate the importance of using the new signal processing method when the sensing device suffers from slow recovery and non-negligible contact resistance. We suggest that the work reported here (including the sensor signal processing method and the inherent simplicity of device fabrication) is a significant step toward the real-world application of graphene-based chemical sensors.

Ground-level ozone emitted from indoor corona devices poses serious health risks to the human respiratory system and the lung function. Federal regulations call for effective techniques to minimize the indoor ozone production. In this work, stable atmospheric corona discharges from nanomaterials are demonstrated using horizontally suspended carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as the discharge electrode. Compared with the conventional discharges employing micro- or macroscale electrodes, the corona discharge from CNTs could initiate and operate at a much lower voltage due to the small electrode diameter, and is thus energy-efficient. Most importantly, the reported discharge is environmentally friendly since no ozone (below the detection limit of 0.5 ppb) was detected for area current densities up to 0.744 A/m(2) due to the significantly reduced number of electrons and plasma volume generated by CNT discharges. The resulting discharge current density depends on the CNT loading. Contrary to the conventional wisdom, negative CNT discharges should be used to enhance the current density owing to the efficient field emission of electrons from the CNT surface.

We demonstrated high-performance gas sensors based on graphene oxide (GO) sheets partially reduced via low-temperature thermal treatments. Hydrophilic graphene oxide sheets uniformly suspended in water were first dispersed onto gold interdigitated electrodes. The partial reduction of the GO sheets was then achieved through low-temperature, multi-step annealing (100, 200, and 300 ◦ C) or one-step heating (200 ◦ C) of the device in argon flow at atmospheric pressure. The electrical conductance of GO was measured after each heating cycle to interpret the level of reduction. The thermally-reduced GO showed p-type semiconducting behavior in ambient conditions and was responsive to low-concentration NO2 and NH3 gases diluted in air at room temperature. The sensitivity can be attributed mainly to the electron transfer between the reduced GO and adsorbed gaseous molecules (NO2/NH3). Additionally, the contact between GO and the Au electrode is likely to contribute to the overall sensing response because of the adsorbates-induced Schottky barrier variation. A simplified model is used to explain the experimental observations. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)

Controlling the growth of semiconducting nanowires with desired properties on a reproducible basis is of particular importance in realizing the next-generation electronic and optoelectronic devices. Here, we investigate the growth of cupric oxide (CuO) nanowires by direct oxidation of copper-containing substrates at500∘Cfor 150 minutes at various oxygen partial pressures. The substrates considered include a low-purity copper gasket, a high-purity copper foil, compacted CuO andCu2Othin layers, and layered Cu/CuO and Cu/Cu2Osubstrates. The morphology, composition, and structure of the product CuO nanowires were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, X-ray diffraction, and UV-Visible absorption. Selected oxidation processes have been monitored using a thermogravimetric analyzer. The layering structure of the substrate after oxidation was analyzed to elucidate the growth mechanism of CuO nanowires.

Rutile tin oxide (SnO2 ) is a wide band gap (3.6 eV at 300K [1]) n-type semiconductor material. It is widely used as sensing elements in gas sensors [2]. The sensing mechanism is generally attributed to the significant change in the electrical resistance of the material associated with the adsorption/desorption of oxygen on the semiconductor surface [3]. The formation of oxygen adsorbates (O2 − or O− ) results in an electron-depletion surface layer due to the electron transfer from the oxide surface to oxygen [4]. Recent studies [5, 6] have shown that use of tin oxide nanocrystals significantly improves the dynamic response and the sensitivity of sensors since the electron depletion may occur in the whole crystallite. Here we report on the fabrication and characterization of a miniaturized gas sensor based on tin oxide nanocrystals. A simple, convenient and low-cost mini-arc plasma source is used to synthesize high-quality tin oxide nanoparticles in aerosol phase at atmospheric pressure. The nanoparticle sensor is then fabricated by electrostatic assembly of product tin oxide nanoparticles onto e-beam lithographically patterned interdigitated electrodes. The microfabricated nanoparticle sensor exhibits good sensitivity and dynamic response to low-concentration ethanol vapor and hydrogen gas diluted in air.Copyright © 2007 by ASME and Argonne National Laboratories

Miniaturized gas sensors or electronic noses to rapidly detect and differentiate trace amount of chemical agents are extremely attractive. In this paper, we report on the fabrication and characterization of a functional tin oxide nanoparticle gas sensor. Tin oxide nanoparticles are first synthesized using a convenient and low-cost mini-arc plasma source. The nanoparticle size distribution is measured online using a scanning electrical mobility spectrometer (SEMS). The product nanoparticles are analyzed ex-situ by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) for morphology and defects, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy for elemental composition, electron diffraction for crystal structure, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for surface composition. Nonagglomerated rutile tin oxide (SnO2) nanoparticles as small as a few nm have been produced. Larger particles bear a core-shell structure with a metallic core and an oxide shell. The nanoparticles are then assembled onto an e-beam lithographically patterned interdigitated electrode using electrostatic force to fabricate the gas sensor. The nanoparticle sensor exhibits a fast response and a good sensitivity when exposed to 100 ppm ethanol vapor in air.

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, July 29 – August 2, 2012.

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, August 7–August 11, 2011.

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2010 in Portland, Oregon, USA, August 1 – August 5, 2010.

We report an ultrafast and sensitive hydrogen (H(2)) sensing platform using semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) decorated with tin oxide (SnO(2)) nanocrystals (NCs). The hybrid SnO(2) NC-SWCNT platform shows a response time of 2-3 seconds to 1% H(2) under room temperature and can fully recover within a few minutes in air.

A facile method has been developed to synthesize Sn-based nanoparticle-decorated graphene through simultaneous growth of SnO2 nanoparticles and a carbonaceous polymer film on graphene oxide sheets followed by heat treatment at various temperatures (250, 550, 750, and 900 °C). Detailed characterization of the resulting composite material using transmission electron microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy suggests that Sn-based nanoparticles were reliably bound to the graphene surface through a carbon film. Cyclic voltammograms and galvanostatic technique were used to investigate electrochemical properties of the Sn-based composite material as the anode of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Samples obtained with 550 °C heat treatment, which contained mixed Sn-based components (Sn, SnO, SnO2), exhibit the best electrochemical performance among the series of nanocomposites in terms of specific capacity and cycling stability.

We report a novel and selective gas-sensing platform with reduced graphene oxide (RGO) decorated with tin oxide (SnO2) nanocrystals (NCs). This hybrid SnO2 NC–RGO platform showed enhanced NO2 but weakened NH3 sensing compared with bare RGO, showing promise in tuning the sensitivity and selectivity of RGO-based gas sensors.

We report on a novel, efficient, and one-step approach to prepare single-layer reduced graphene oxide (RGO) suspensions and films using hydroxylamine hydrochloride. The effective chemical reduction of GO was evidenced by a significant increase in the C/O ratio and five orders of magnitude decrease in the GO resistance. Field-effect transistor gas sensors were fabricated using as-produced RGO sheets and the resulting sensor exhibited a fast response and a high sensitivity to low-concentration target gases at room temperature.

We demonstrate a high-performance gas sensor using partially reduced graphene oxide (GO) sheets obtained through low-temperature step annealing (300 °C at maximum) in argon flow at atmospheric pressure. The electrical conductance of GO was measured after each heating cycle to interpret the level of reduction. The thermally reduced GO showed p-type semiconducting behavior in ambient conditions and were responsive to low-concentration NO2 diluted in air at room temperature. The sensitivity is attributed to the electron transfer from the reduced GO to adsorbed NO2, which leads to enriched hole concentration and enhanced electrical conduction in the reduced GO sheet.

Silicon nanocrystals of a few nanometers in size are of great interest for optoelectronic applications. Here we present a mini-arc plasma method to produce silicon nanocrystals at atmospheric pressure directly from solid silicon precursors. The product silicon nanocrystals are then assembled onto the external surface of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to form hybrid nanostructures. The absorption properties of both the silicon nanocrystals and the Si-CNT hybrid structures have been characterized. Quantum size effects have been observed for as-produced silicon nanocrystals. The resulting silicon nanocrystals and hybrid nanostructures are promising for optoelectronic applications.