| Project Detail |
Innovative graphene-based sensors to enhance monitoring efficiency of air pollution Monitoring air pollutants is a growing concern given their significant threat to both public health and the global climate. However, current sensing technologies fall short owing to their high production costs, complexity, and limited sensitivity and selectivity. Funded by the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions programme, the ATOSENSE project will leverage graphene’s potential for developing ultra-sensitive gas sensors. The material boats a high surface-to-volume ratio, low electronic noise and miniaturisation capability. Using graphene-based nanomaterials with precise functional groups, these sensors promise enhanced selectivity, sensitivity, speed and stability. Project activities could significantly enhance efforts in environmental protection and pollution prevention, aligning with the goals of the NEXTGenerationEU initiative. The dramatic effect of air contaminants on global health and Earth’s climate change require a reliable, real-time monitoring of pollutants for their effective reduction. The limitation of existing sensing technologies for this need in terms of production cost, fabrication processes, miniaturization, sensitivity and selectivity push the search for new materials and sensing concepts to address the challenge of ultra-sensitive gas sensors. In this framework, graphene appears as the most promising candidates due to its large surface-to-volume ratio, low electronic noise, miniaturization capability and cost-effectiveness. However, its semimetallic nature limits its application in the most sensitive, field-effect transistor (FET) architecture, and its inertness severely limits its selectivity. This project aims at overcoming these limitations by developing FET sensors using a new class of graphene-based nanomaterials where sensing units with atomically precise, analyte-specific functional groups are covalently linked to the transductor channels constituted by a semiconducting graphene backbone. The multidisciplinary strategy proposed in this project covers the whole value chain from the synthesis of the nanomaterial to the characterization of the sensing devices, by merging synthetic chemistry, advanced nanomaterials characterization and device fabrication. The proof-of-concept of such devices will pave the way towards ultimate 4S sensor performances (selectivity, sensitivity, speed and stability), thus having a profound impact on the NEXT Generation EU challenges of “Environmental protection” and “Pollution prevention and control”. |
