Themed collection Editor’s Choice: Making sense of nanosensors and devices

During the past decade, two-dimensional materials have attracted incredible interest from the electronic device community.

Ratiometric fluorescent sensors, which can provide built-in self-calibration for the correction of a variety of analyte-independent factors, have attracted particular attention for analytical sensing and optical imaging with the potential to provide a precise and quantitative analysis.

A comprehensive overview on the recent developments in the application of 2D layered inorganic nanomaterials as sensors is presented. Salient features of 2D materials in different sensing applications viz. gas sensing, electrochemical sensing, SERS and biosensing and photodetection are discussed.

Wearable, wireless gas sensors based on silver nanowire (AgNW)–graphene hybrid nanostructures provide superb real-time sensing performances and mechanical robustness.

A surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensor based on gold nanostar (Au NS) core–silver nanoparticle (Ag NP) satellites was fabricated for the first time to detect aflatoxinB1 (AFB1).

(Gd_0.991Nd_0.009)₂O₃ nanorods exhibit one of the highest thermal sensitivity and temperature uncertainty reported so far, 1.75 ± 0.04% K⁻¹ and 0.14 ± 0.05 K, respectively.

An MSM structural photodetector decorated with Al nanoparticles has been fabricated to improve the performance of ZnO NRAs UV detector. Both high photoresponsivity and fast temporal response are also obtained.

Electron-collection double interlayers of rhodamine 101 and LiF simultaneously improve open-circuit voltage and fill factor of perovskite solar cells.

Black phosphorus NEMS resonators of various dimensions and geometries exhibit robust thermomechanical and driven resonances, in both frequency and time-domain.

Tunable resistance–strain sensing behaviors were achieved by the synergistic graphene and carbon nanotubes in the polyurethane based electrical conductive nanocomposites.

Vertically oriented metal oxide nanotube arrays integrated with planar microwave resonators can be used to generate selectivity in addition to high label-free sensitivity through the unique interactions of charge carrier traps with surface-adsorbed analytes.

SEM images of the MAPbBr₃ film and large area green EL from PeLEDs without and with 6 vol% of HBr in the DMF/HBr co-solvent.

The effect of relative humidity on the formation of perovskite thin films prepared using the two-step deposition method is reported. Higher relative humidities produce larger, better-connected crystallites, which in turn improves device efficiency and reduces hysteresis.

We demonstrated the spray coating of graphene ink as a viable method for large-area fabrication of graphene-based dye-sensitized solar cell modules, paving the way to all-printed, transparent and cost-effective large-area photovoltaic devices.

A semi-quantitative and quantitative multi-immunochromatographic (ICA) strip detection assay was developed for the simultaneous detection of twenty types of mycotoxins from five classes, including zearalenones (ZEAs), deoxynivalenols (DONs), T-2 toxins (T-2s), aflatoxins (AFs), and fumonisins (FBs), in cereal food samples.

Crystalline (low-loss) resonant silicon nanoparticles have been fabricated by femtosecond laser ablation of amorphous (high-loss) silicon thin films using two conceptually different approaches.

For the first time a label- and enzyme-free platform for the operation of a series of advanced logic devices is constructed; introducing negative logic, a label- and enzyme-free comparator was also successfully realized.

An all solid-state complementary electrochromic device with large optical modulation was assembled by inkjet-printed NiO and WO₃ electrodes.

The “3D NEP Chip” with SEM images of critical components and high-throughput cell transfection with a fluorescent dye.

A label-free electrochemical immunosensor was developed based on clover-shaped AuNP–Thi–MoS₂ nanocomposites.

We demonstrate resistive humidity sensing using a single-layer graphene patch placed on top of a SiO₂ layer on a Si wafer.

Pt activated SnO₂ nanoparticle clusters were synthesized by a simple solvothermal method for use in highly sensitive ammonia gas sensors.

The white light-emitting diodes with high color rendering index (85–96) and widely variable color temperatures(2805–7786 K) were fabricated from carbon-based nanomaterials with weak reabsorption and no energy transfer crosstalk and showed excellent color stability.

A dual-emission ratiometric fluorescent sensor based on AIE organic nanoparticles and Au NCs was prepared by electrostatic interaction. The probe can detect Hg²⁺ and melamine not only visually but quantitatively.

The next-generation application of pressure sensors is gradually being extended to include electronic artificial skin (e-skin), wearable devices, humanoid robotics and smart prosthetics.

CuO nanowires with vertical array electrode architecture can be applied as a bendable glucose enzymeless sensor, showing outperforming sensitivity over the conventional ex situ drop-cast CuO nanowire/glassy carbon electrode.