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    Highly sensitive alkane odour sensors based on functionalised gold nanoparticles

    Year: 2011

    Journal: Sensors and Actuators B, 2011, 160 (1), 399-404, 20131009

    Authors: Hadi AlQahtani, Mark Sugden, Delia Puzzovio, Lee Hague, Nic Mullin, Tim Richardson, Martin Grell

    Organizations: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Hounsfield Road, Sheffield S3 7RH, UK; Department of Physics, College of Teachers, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia

    We deposit dense, ordered, thin films of Au–dodecanethiol core/shell nanoparticles by the Langmuir–Schäfer (LS) printing method, and find that their resistance at ambient temperature responds selectively and sensitively to alkane odours. Response is a rapid resistance increase due to swelling, and is strongest for alkane odours where the alkane chain is similar in length to the dodecane shell. For decane odours, we find a response to concentrations as low as 15 ppm, about 600 times below the lower explosive limit. Response is weaker, but still significant, to aromatic odours (e.g. Toluene, Xylene), while potential interferants such as polar and/or hydrogen-bonding odours (e.g. alcohols, ketones, water vapour) are somewhat rejected. Resistance is weakly dependent on temperature, and recovers rapidly and completely to its original value within the error margin of measurement.