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Researchers took inspiration from the packaging and transduction processes of the cochlea and cilia in the inner ear to design acoustic sensors made from nanowires. Specifically, they used nanowires of magnetostrictive materials as artificial cilia to sense acoustic signals. Any acoustic sensor application may benefit from this work.
The sensitivity of solid-state gas sensors can be improved if the surface-to-volume ratio of the material used for the sensor is increased. An international group of researchers demonstrated that three-dimensional tungsten oxide nanowire networks can serve as a high-surface area material for building ultrasensitive and highly selective gas sensors. The results highlight that the 3-D nanowires technology can be adopted for the development of gas sensors with performances suitable for practical applications.
A new approach promotes the use of zinc oxide nanomaterials as signal enhancing platforms for rapid, multiplexed, high-throughput, highly sensitive, DNA sensor arrays. Engineered nanoscale ZnO structures can be effectively used for the identification of the biothreat agent, Bacillus anthracis, by successfully discriminating its DNA sequence from other genetically related species.
Among the many potential biology-related applications proposed for carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are high-sensitivity biosensors and bio-fuel cells. In order to create the synergy between the biomolecules and CNTs required to realize these applications, biomolecules, such as proteins and DNAs, must be connected to the CNTs.
Researchers at Cornell University have developed a novel quantitative nanoparticle-based sensor of chemical concentrations based on organic dye molecules covalently integrated into the matrix of silica nanoparticles. This is the first work that implements an optimized core-shell architecture for such sensor particles.
Humidity is a measure of the moisture content of an environment. Control of humidity is thus essential for maintaining the desired level of moisture in an enclosure be it in a hospital or in a semiconductor-processing unit or in a laboratory. For humidity control an efficient sensor is an absolute necessity.
Researchers in Switzerland succeeded in the large-scale production of carbon-coated copper nanoparticles. These carbon/copper nanocomposites could be used as novel, low-cost sensor materials and offer a metal-based alternative to the currently used brittle oxidic spinels or perovskites.
A comprehensive overview of the main concepts behind the development of nanosensors and the most relevant applications in the field of environmental analysis.