Metal oxide nano-architectures and heterostructures for chemical sensors

Abstract

Metal oxide nanostructures with hetero-contacts and phase boundaries offer a unique platform for designing materials architectures for sensing applications. Besides the size and surface effects, the modulation of electronic behaviour due to junction properties leads to modified surface states that promote selective detection of analytes. The growing possibilities of engineering nanostructures in various compositions (pure, doped, composites, heterostructures) and forms (particles, tubes, wires, films) has intensified the research on the integration of different functional material units in a single architecture to obtain new sensing materials. In addition, new concepts of enhancing charge transduction by surface functionalization and use of pre-concentrator systems are promising strategies to promote specific chemical interactions, however the challenge related to repro- ducible synthesis and device integration of nanomaterials persist.