Sensors and sensor arrays based on conjugated polymers and carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Abstract:The need for cheaper, faster, and more accurate measurements has been a driving force for the development of new sensing devices. As is well known, the electrical conductivity of conjugated polymers can be reliably regulated over a wide range through interactions with electron acceptors and donors. This, together with the fast optical dynamics (either in the ground or excited states) of most conjugated polymers, has made conjugated polymers very attractive as transducer-active materials. On the other hand, the unusual electronic, mechanical, and thermal properties of carbon nanotubes have also led to their potential use in a wide range of devices, including sensors. In particular, the ability of carbon nanotubes and their derivatives to operate as gas and glucose sensors has been recently demonstrated. This article provides a status review on the research and development of sensors and sensor arrays based on conjugated polymers and carbon nanotubes. The unique features characteristic of most reported sensing transduction modes related to conjugated polymers and carbon nanotubes are discussed, along with their pros and cons.

Survey of the Application Nanoscale Material in Chemical Sensors

“…Experiments showed the thermoelectric power and resistivity of a bundle of SWNTs varied with different gases, such as He, N 2 , H 2 , O 2 or NH 3 . In the design of gas sensors, some unusual electronic, mechanical and thermal properties of CNTs are utilized and the unique feature characteristics of most reported sensing transduction modes related to conjugated polymers and carbon nanotubes have previously discussed (Dai et al, 2002). The sensors developed so far have used different mechanisms of interacting analytes with CNTs, as well as different modes of preparing CNTs in sensors.…”

Synthesis and Study of Chemical, Thermal, Mesomorphic, and Optical Properties of Terphenyls Modified with Nitrile Groups

“…In the recent years, -conjugated organic molecules have been the subject of increasing attention due to their unique electrical and optical properties, which make them suitable active materials for photovoltaic cells [1], photodiodes [2,3], and molecular sensors [4][5][6][7], among other optoelectronic devices [8][9][10][11]. The oligo-p-terphenylenes are of particular interest because the smallest (terphenyl, quaterphenyl, and quinquephenyl) are able to not only radiate a high energy light in the blue region of the spectrum but also display a rich thermotropic polymorphism.…”

Fabrication of Conducting Polymer Nanowires

“…Compared with other materials, conducting polymers have some unique electrical, chemical, and optical properties because of their conjugated structures, and they are easily synthesized using chemical or electrochemical synthetic methods at room temperatures with low cost (Aleshin, 2006;Briseno et al, 2008;Guimard et al, 2007;Xia et al, 2010). Conducting polymers have electrical and optical properties similar to those of metals and semiconductors, while maintaining the flexibility and properties commonly associated with conventional polymer substances (Dai et al, 2002;Heeger, 2002;Shirakawa, 2002). For example, the electrical conductivity of these polymers can be adjusted from an insulator to traditional metals by varying the species and concentrations of doping ions.…”