Electronic nano sponge breath ammonia sensors using hygroscopic polymers on vertical channel nano-porous structure

Wei-Lun Chen; Huang-Cheng Chiu; Hsuan Chu; Ju-Chun Hsieh; Bing-Xin Chen; Ya-Chun Tian; Shuh-Kuan Liau; Ming-Jen Chan; Chia-Jung Lu; Hsin-Fei Meng; Sheng-Fu Horng; Chien-Lung Wang; Hsiao-Wen Zan

doi:10.1039/D1TC01607E

Electronic nano sponge breath ammonia sensors using hygroscopic polymers on vertical channel nano-porous structure†

Wei-Lun Chen,‡^a Huang-Cheng Chiu,‡^a Hsuan Chu,^a Ju-Chun Hsieh,^bc Bing-Xin Chen,^bc Ya-Chun Tian,^de Shuh-Kuan Liau,^e Ming-Jen Chan,^e Chia-Jung Lu,

^f Hsin-Fei Meng,^gh Sheng-Fu Horng,*^a Chien-Lung Wang*^ij and Hsiao-Wen Zan

*^bc

Author affiliations

* Corresponding authors

^a Institute of Electronics Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, No. 101, Section 2, Guangfu Road, 300 Hsinchu, Taiwan
E-mail: sfhorng@ee.nthu.edu.tw

^b Department of Photonics, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, No. 1001, Ta Hsueh Road, 300 Hsinchu, Taiwan
E-mail: hsiaowen@nycu.edu.tw

^c Department of Photonics, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, No. 1001, Ta Hsueh Road, 300 Hsinchu, Taiwan

^d Department of Medicine, Chang Gung University, No. 259, Wenhua 1st Rd., Guishan Dist., 333 Taoyuan, Taiwan

^e Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No. 5, Fuxing St., Guishan Dist., 333 Taoyuan, Taiwan

^f Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan Normal University, 162, Heping East Road, Section 1, 106 Taipei, Taiwan

^g Institute of Physics, National Chiao Tung University, No. 1001, Ta Hsueh Road, 300 Hsinchu, Taiwan

^h Institute of Physics, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, No. 1001, Ta Hsueh Road, 300 Hsinchu, Taiwan

ⁱ Department of Applied Chemistry, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, 300 Hsinchu, Taiwan
E-mail: kclwang@g2.nctu.edu.tw

^j Department of Applied Chemistry, National Chiao Tung University, 300 Hsinchu, Taiwan

Abstract

In this work, insulating hygroscopic polymer thin films have been applied as the vertical-channel sensing layer of extremely sensitive ammonia sensors to detect 5–1000 ppb ammonia. Hygroscopic polymers such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) serve as good absorbents of ammonia gas. The high-density nano-porous structure covered by a hygroscopic thin film acted like a nano-porous sponge (Nano Sponge) to absorb water, which forms an ionic conduction path in the 300 nm vertical channels. The influences of the polymer functional groups, pH value, relative humidity (RH), and other interfering gas analytes on the sensing performances of the Nano Sponge sensors have also been investigated. After adding glycerol, the Glycerol/PEG Nano Sponge sensors exhibited a stable response. Breath detection in a healthy group and a chronic kidney group of patients was examined using the Glycerol/PEG Nano Sponge sensor in a sensing system with a NaOH tube to control the relative humidity and to absorb the interfering species such as CO and H₂S.

Journal of Materials Chemistry C

Electronic nano sponge breath ammonia sensors using hygroscopic polymers on vertical channel nano-porous structure†

Abstract

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Electronic nano sponge breath ammonia sensors using hygroscopic polymers on vertical channel nano-porous structure

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