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A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanoelectronics, Nanosensors and Devices".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2023) | Viewed by 20338

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Prof. Dr. Weiping Cai

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Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
Interests: colloidal self-assembly; artificial micro/nanostructures; micro/nanostructured meta-surfaces; functional elementary ordered nanomaterial; nanostructured thin films; micro/nanostructured devices and sensors; surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy and applications
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Dear Colleague,

Functional nanomaterials involve various nanostructured objects: zero-dimensional (0D), 1D, and 2D nano-objects (nanoparticles, nanowires, nanotubes, nanosheets, and so on), as well as materials with nanostructured surfaces including metals, semiconductors and organic materials. These nanomaterials possess high surface/volume ratio and nanotip- and nanogap-induced physical effects, which lead to significantly different functional properties from those presented by the bulk materials, and hence have great potential applications in sensing and detection.

These functional nanomaterials for sensing and detection are mostly used as transducers in tools such as spectral devices and chemiresistive sensors. They are also employed in some nanosensor designs as capture agents (magnetic nanoparticles), signal amplifiers (plasmonic metals with nanopatterned surfaces for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic chips), identification elements (polymers for molecular imprinting), and more.

This Special Issue will attempt to present a collection of original research papers and reviews of the latest advances in the field of functional nanomaterials for sensing and detection.

Prof. Dr. Weiping Cai
Guest Editor

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Keywords

functional nanomaterials
heterogeneous nanostructures
nanopatterned surfaces
sensing performance
surface modification
nanosensors
fast and trace detection

Related Special Issue

Functional Nanomaterials for Sensing and Detection (2nd Edition) in Nanomaterials (4 articles)

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 138 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Functional Nanomaterials for Sensing and Detection

by Weiping Cai

Nanomaterials 2024, 14(1), 128; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14010128 - 4 Jan 2024

Viewed by 952

Abstract

Functional nanomaterials involve various nanostructured objects, such as zero-dimensional (0D), 1D, and 2D nano-objects (nanoparticles, nanowires, nanotubes, nanosheets, etc [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials for Sensing and Detection)

Research

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15 pages, 4163 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Direct Synthesis of Vertical Self-Assembly Oriented Hexagonal Boron Nitride on Gallium Nitride and Ultrahigh Photoresponse Ultraviolet Photodetectors

by Yi Peng, Yufei Yang, Kai Xiao, Yanlian Yang, Haoran Ding, Jianyu Deng and Wenhong Sun

Nanomaterials 2023, 13(9), 1546; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13091546 - 5 May 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1425

Abstract

The applications of three-dimensional materials combined with two-dimensional materials are attractive for constructing high-performance electronic and photoelectronic devices because of their remarkable electronic and optical properties. However, traditional preparation methods usually involve mechanical transfer, which has a complicated process and cannot avoid contamination. In this work, chemical vapor deposition was proposed to vertically synthesize self-assembly oriented hexagonal boron nitride on gallium nitride directly. The material composition, crystalline quality and orientation were investigated using multiple characterization methods. Thermal conductivity was found to be enhanced twofold in the h-BN incorporated sample by using the optothermal Raman technique. A vertical-ordered (VO)h-BN/GaN heterojunction photodetector was produced based on the synthesis. The photodetector exhibited a high ultraviolet photoresponsivity of up to 1970.7 mA/W, and detectivity up to 2.6 × 10¹³ Jones, and was stable in harsh high temperature conditions. Our work provides a new synthesis method to prepare h-BN on GaN-based materials directly, and a novel vertically oriented structure of VO-h-BN/GaN heterojunction, which has great application potential in optoelectronic devices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials for Sensing and Detection)

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14 pages, 4682 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Facile Synthesis of ZnO/WO₃ Nanocomposite Porous Films for High-Performance Gas Sensing of Multiple VOCs

by Biao Lei, Hongwen Zhang, Qian Zhao, Weiwei Liu, Yi Wei, Yanyan Lu, Tingting Xiao, Jinglin Kong and Weiping Cai

Nanomaterials 2023, 13(4), 733; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13040733 - 15 Feb 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1549

Abstract

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor environments have typical features of multiple components, high concentration, and long duration. The development of gas sensors with high sensitivity to multiple VOCs is of great significance to protect human health. Herein, we proposed a sensitive ZnO/WO₃ composite chemi-resistive sensor facilely fabricated via a sacrificial template approach. Based on the transferable properties of self-assembled monolayer colloidal crystal (MCC) templates, two-dimensional honeycomb-like ordered porous ZnO/WO₃ sensing matrixes were constructed in situ on commercial ceramic tube substrates with curved and rough surfaces. The nanocomposite thin films are about 250 nm in thickness with large-scale structural consistency and integrity, which facilitates characteristic responses with highly sensitivity and reliability. Furthermore, the nanocomposite sensor shows simultaneous responses to multiple VOCs that commonly exist in daily life with an obvious suppression sensing for traditional flammable gases. Particularly, a detection limit of 0.1 ppm with a second-level response/recovery time can be achieved, which is beneficial for real-time air quality assessments. We proposed a heterojunction-induced sensing enhancement mechanism for the ZnO/WO₃ nanocomposite film in which the formation of abundant heterojunctions between ZnO and WO₃ NPs significantly increases the thickness of the electron depletion layer in the bulk film and improves the formation of active oxygen species on the surface, which is conducive to enhanced responses for reducing VOC gases. This work not only provides a simple approach for the fabrication of high-performance gas sensors but also opens an achievable avenue for air quality assessment based on VOC concentration detection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials for Sensing and Detection)

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14 pages, 6693 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Study on Gas-Sensing Properties of 2D (MoS_2, WS₂)/PANI Nanocomposites-Based Sensor

by Hemalatha Parangusan, Jolly Bhadra, Razen Amer Al-Qudah, Elhassen Cheikh Elhadrami and Noora Jabor Al-Thani

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(24), 4423; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12244423 - 11 Dec 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1915

Abstract

NH₃ is a highly harmful gas; when inhaled at levels that are too high for comfort, it is very dangerous to human health. One of the challenging tasks in research is developing ammonia sensors that operate at room temperature. In this study, we proposed a new design of an NH₃ gas sensor that was comprised of two-dimensional (TMDs, mainly WS₂ and MoS₂) and PANI. The 2D-TMDs metal was successfully incorporated into the PANI lattice based on the results of XRD and SEM. The elemental EDX analysis results indicated that C, N, O, W, S and Mo were found in the composite samples. The bandgap of the materials decreased due to the addition of MoS₂ and WS₂. We also analyzed its structural, optical and morphological properties. When compared to MoS₂ and PANI, the proposed NH₃ sensor with the WS₂ composite was found to have high sensitivity. The composite films also exhibited response and recovery times of 10/16 and 14/16 s. Therefore, the composite PANI/2D-TMDs is a suitable material for NH₃ gas detection applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials for Sensing and Detection)

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17 pages, 15925 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Towards Wireless Detection of Surface Modification of Silicon Nanowires by an RF Approach

by Florian Requena, Samuel Ahoulou, Nicolas Barbot, Darine Kaddour, Jean-Marie Nedelec, Thierry Baron and Etienne Perret

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(23), 4237; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12234237 - 28 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1107

Abstract

This paper shows the possibility to detect the presence of grafted molecules on the surface of silicon nanowires with a wireless RF radar approach based on the measurement of the backscattered signal of a resonant structure on which the nanowires are deposited. The measured resonance frequency allows the determination of the intrinsic properties related to temperature and humidity variations, which can be related to the presence of the grafted molecules. Several functionalizations of nanowires have been realized and characterized. For the first time, an RF approach is used to detect significant differences related to the presence of grafted molecules on the surface of nanowires. In addition to detecting their presence, the obtained results show the potential of the radar approach to identify the type of functionalization of nanowires. A set of six different grafted molecules (including octadecyltrichlorosilane, ethynylpyrene, N3) was tested and correctly separated with the proposed approach. Various measurements of the same samples showed a good repeatability which made the approach compatible with the possibility of differentiating the molecules with each other by radar reading. Moreover, discussions about the application of such functionalizations are made to increase the sensibility of sensors using a radar approach. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials for Sensing and Detection)

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15 pages, 13384 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design of Nanostructured Hybrid Electrodes Based on a Liquid Crystalline Zn(II) Coordination Complex-Carbon Nanotubes Composition for the Specific Electrochemical Sensing of Uric Acid

by Sorina Negrea, Adelina A. Andelescu, Sorina Ilies (b. Motoc), Carmen Cretu, Liliana Cseh, Mircea Rastei, Bertrand Donnio, Elisabeta I. Szerb and Florica Manea

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(23), 4215; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12234215 - 27 Nov 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1254

Abstract

A metallomesogen based on an Zn(II) coordination complex was employed as precursor to obtain a complex matrix nanoplatform for the fabrication of a high-performance electrochemical hybrid sensor. Three representative paste electrodes, which differ by the weight ratio between Zn(II) metallomesogen and carbon nanotubes (CNT), i.e., PE_01, PE_02 and PE_03, were obtained by mixing the materials in different amounts. The composition with the largest amount of CNT with respect to Zn complex, i.e., PE_03, gives the best electrochemical signal for uric acid detection by cyclic voltammetry in an alkaline medium. The amphiphilic structure of the Zn(II) coordination complex likely induces a regular separation between the metal centers favoring the redox system through their reduction, followed by stripping, and is characterized by enhanced electrocatalytic activity towards uric acid oxidation. The comparative detection of uric acid between the PE_03 paste electrode and the commercial zinc electrode demonstrated the superiority of the former, and its great potential for the development of advanced electrochemical detection of uric acid. Advanced electrochemical techniques, such as differential-pulsed voltammetry (DPV) and square-wave voltammetry (SWV), allowed for the highly sensitive detection of uric acid in aqueous alkaline solutions. In addition, a good and fast amperometric signal for uric acid detection was achieved by multiple-pulsed amperometry, which was validated by urine analysis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials for Sensing and Detection)

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16 pages, 6887 KiB

Open AccessArticle

High-Density-Nanotips-Composed 3D Hierarchical Au/CuS Hybrids for Sensitive, Signal-Reproducible, and Substrate-Recyclable SERS Detection

by Hao Fu, Weiwei Liu, Junqing Li, Wenguang Wu, Qian Zhao, Haoming Bao, Le Zhou, Shuyi Zhu, Jinglin Kong, Hongwen Zhang and Weiping Cai

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(14), 2359; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12142359 - 10 Jul 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1534

Abstract

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) provides an unprecedented opportunity for fingerprinting identification and trace-level detection in chemistry, biomedicine, materials, and so on. Although great efforts have been devoted to fabricating sensitive plasmonic nanomaterials, it is still challenging to batch-produce a SERS substrate with high sensitivity, good reproducibility, and perfect recyclability. Here, we describe a facile fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical Au/CuS nanocomposites, in which high-density Au nanotips enable highly SERS-active sensing, and the well-defined microflower (MF) geometry produces perfect signal reproducibility (RSD < 5%) for large laser spot excitations (>50 μm²), which is particularly suitable for practical on-site detection with a handheld Raman spectrometer. In addition, a self-cleaning ability of this Au/CuS Schottky junction photocatalyst under sunlight irradiation allows complete removal of the adsorbed analytes, realizing perfect regeneration of the SERS substrates over many cycles. The mass-production, ultra-sensitive, high-reproducibility, and fast-recyclability features of hierarchical Au/CuS MFs greatly facilitate cost-effective and field SERS detection of trace analytes in practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials for Sensing and Detection)

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15 pages, 7536 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Immobilization of Streptavidin on a Plasmonic Au-TiO₂ Thin Film towards an LSPR Biosensing Platform

by Patrícia Pereira-Silva, Diana I. Meira, Augusto Costa-Barbosa, Diogo Costa, Marco S. Rodrigues, Joel Borges, Ana V. Machado, Albano Cavaleiro, Paula Sampaio and Filipe Vaz

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(9), 1526; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12091526 - 1 May 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2623

Abstract

Optical biosensors based on localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) are the future of label-free detection methods. This work reports the development of plasmonic thin films, containing Au nanoparticles dispersed in a TiO₂ matrix, as platforms for LSPR biosensors. Post-deposition treatments were employed, namely annealing at 400 °C, to develop an LSPR band, and Ar plasma, to improve the sensitivity of the Au-TiO₂ thin film. Streptavidin and biotin conjugated with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) were chosen as the model receptor–analyte, to prove the efficiency of the immobilization method and to demonstrate the potential of the LSPR-based biosensor. The Au-TiO₂ thin films were activated with O₂ plasma, to promote the streptavidin immobilization as a biorecognition element, by increasing the surface hydrophilicity (contact angle drop to 7°). The interaction between biotin and the immobilized streptavidin was confirmed by the detection of HRP activity (average absorbance 1.9 ± 0.6), following a protocol based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Furthermore, an LSPR wavelength shift was detectable (0.8 ± 0.1 nm), resulting from a plasmonic thin-film platform with a refractive index sensitivity estimated to be 33 nm/RIU. The detection of the analyte using these two different methods proves that the functionalization protocol was successful and the Au-TiO₂ thin films have the potential to be used as an LSPR platform for label-free biosensors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials for Sensing and Detection)

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13 pages, 3121 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Co-Doped Carbon Dot/Silver Nanoparticle Nanocomposite-Based Fluorescence Sensor for Metformin Hydrochloride Detection

by Thi-Hoa Le, Ji-Hyeon Kim and Sang-Joon Park

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(8), 1297; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12081297 - 11 Apr 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2317

Abstract

In this study, a fluorescence sensor based on nitrogen and phosphorus co-doped carbon dot/silver nanoparticle (NPCD/AgNP) nanocomposites was developed for metformin hydrochloride (MFH) detection. We first utilized the reducing nature of the NPCDs to prepare AgNPs from Ag⁺ and subsequently prepare NPCD/AgNP nanocomposites. The nanocomposite material was characterized by various methods, including electron microscopic methods (SEM and TEM), spectroscopic methods (UV-Vis, PL, FTIR, and XPS spectroscopy), light scattering (ELS), and XRD. Further, we utilized the enhanced fluorescence of the NPCDs as well as the overlap between the fluorescence emission spectrum of the NPCDs and the absorption spectrum of the AgNPs to use the NPCD/AgNP nanocomposites as an effective inner filter effect (IFE) pair for sensing MFH. The IFE between NPCDs and AgNPs in the nanocomposite material resulted in a significant quenching of the fluorescence intensity of the nanocomposites compared to that of the pure NPCDs. However, the fluorescence was recovered when MFH was introduced into the nanocomposite solution. The fluorescence intensity of the nanocomposites increased linearly as the MFH concentration increased from 2 to 100 µg/L. This detection method showed good sensitivity compared to other methods. It also showed high selectivity and high sensing potential for MFH in human serum and yielded acceptable results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials for Sensing and Detection)

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14 pages, 2404 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

pH-Responsive Emission of Novel Water-Soluble Polymeric Iridium(III) Complexes

by Dafnianna Tsakaraki, Aikaterini K. Andreopoulou and Georgios Bokias

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(6), 927; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12060927 - 11 Mar 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1934

Abstract

The synthesis and characterization of water-soluble copolymers containing N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMAM) and a vinylic monomer containing an Iridium(III), Ir(III), complex substituted with the quinoline-based unit 2-(pyridin-2-ylo)-6-styrene-4-phenylquinoline (VQPy) as ligand are reported. These copolymers were prepared through pre- or post-polymerization complexation of Ir(III) with the VQPy units. The first methodology led to copolymer P1 having fully complexed VQPy units, whereas the latter methodology allowed the preparation of terpolymers containing free and Ir(III)-complexed VQPy units (copolymer P2). The optical properties of the copolymers were studied in detail through UV-Vis and photoluminescence spectroscopy in aqueous solution. It is shown that the metal-to-ligand charge transfer (ΜLCT) emission is prevailing in the case of P1, regardless of pH. In contrast, in the case of terpolymer P2 the MLCT emission of the Ir(III) complex is combined with the pH-responsive emission of free VQPy units, leading to characteristic pH-responsive color changes under UV illumination in the acidic pH region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials for Sensing and Detection)

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Review

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20 pages, 10856 KiB

Open AccessReview

Infrared Photodetection from 2D/3D van der Waals Heterostructures

by Qianying Tang, Fang Zhong, Qing Li, Jialu Weng, Junzhe Li, Hangyu Lu, Haitao Wu, Shuning Liu, Jiacheng Wang, Ke Deng, Yunlong Xiao, Zhen Wang and Ting He

Nanomaterials 2023, 13(7), 1169; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13071169 - 24 Mar 2023

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2815

Abstract

An infrared photodetector is a critical component that detects, identifies, and tracks complex targets in a detection system. Infrared photodetectors based on 3D bulk materials are widely applied in national defense, military, communications, and astronomy fields. The complex application environment requires higher performance and multi-dimensional capability. The emergence of 2D materials has brought new possibilities to develop next-generation infrared detectors. However, the inherent thickness limitations and the immature preparation of 2D materials still lead to low quantum efficiency and slow response speeds. This review summarizes 2D/3D hybrid van der Waals heterojunctions for infrared photodetection. First, the physical properties of 2D and 3D materials related to detection capability, including thickness, band gap, absorption band, quantum efficiency, and carrier mobility, are summarized. Then, the primary research progress of 2D/3D infrared detectors is reviewed from performance improvement (broadband, high-responsivity, fast response) and new functional devices (two-color detectors, polarization detectors). Importantly, combining low-doped 3D and flexible 2D materials can effectively improve the responsivity and detection speed due to a significant depletion region width. Furthermore, combining the anisotropic 2D lattice structure and high absorbance of 3D materials provides a new strategy in high-performance polarization detectors. This paper offers prospects for developing 2D/3D high-performance infrared detection technology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials for Sensing and Detection)

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