MAE Seminar: With the Sense of Smell, the World Can be Colorful

Abstract: Electronic detection of molecules is rapidly emerging as an alternative to the traditional optical and electrochemical methods because of the small size, low power consumption, improved sensing performance and most of all, the possibility of developing high-density arrays for simultaneous analyses of multiple species in small sample volumes. Recently, one-dimensional nanostructures [carbon nanotubes (CNTs), inorganic and organic nanowires] as conduction channels of field effect transistors (FETs) have been developed for detection of a variety of gaseous and biological molecules with excellent low-detection limits, sensitivity and selectivity. These features are a consequence of a dramatic decrease in characteristic length and an increase in the ratio of surface-to-volume atoms, allowing for rapid diffusion into the bulk and for a more significant fraction of the atoms to participate in surface processes such as chemical and biochemical binding interactions. One-dimensional geometries also enhance response times by virtue of their two-dimensional mass-transfer profile. Furthermore, nanowires are heralded for device miniaturization and sensor arrays, enabling duplicate elements to reduce false positives/negatives and pattern-recognition systems termed electronic noses/tongues, where each sensor in the array has a unique response to every analyte, creating a fingerprint-type response that increases sensitivity and selectivity. Finally, sensors are also attractive for their proven commercial viability, as this approach uses a single material behaving as both the sensitive layer and transducer to directly convert chemical information into an electronic signal without the need for labels, allowing for real-time continuous monitoring. In this presentation, synthesis, functionalization and assembly of various nanoengineered materials nanowires will be discussed to create “true” high-density gaseous sensor arrays with superior sensing performance in a cost-effective manner.  Finally, an Android-based smartphone integratable sensor will be demonstrated. 

Bio: Nosang Vincent Myung received his B.S., M.S. and Ph. D. degrees in chemical engineering from UCLA in 1994, 1997 and 1998, respectively. He spent three years as a research engineer at the same institution. From 2001 to 2003, he was with the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a NASA center, as a member of the engineering staff. In 2003, he joined the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at UC Riverside and served as department chair from 2011-2017. Currently, he is the founding director for the UC-KIMS Center for Innovative Materials for Energy and Environment, and the specialty chief editor for Frontiers of Chemistry, Electrochemistry Section. Starting fall 2020, he will join the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Notre Dame as the Keating Crawford Endowed Professor. Myung has received several awards, including the 2018 ECS Electrodeposition Division Research Award, KIChE President Award, Brainpool Fellow from the Korean Government, University of California Regent Fellowship, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Spot Award, Abner Brenner gold medal award from American Electroplaters and Surface Finishers Society (AESF), and the first time author’s award from Plating and Surface Finishing. He is also the recipient of the National Science Foundation graduate fellowship and a Department of Education fellowship. Myung’s research interests are focused on the synthesis of nanoengineered materials and the application of these materials in various areas, including spintronics, biological and chemical sensors, electronics, optoelectronics, energy harvesting and environmental remediation. His group's objective is to control nanoscale-sized features to enhance material properties and device functions beyond those currently available. Myung has published over 220 peer-reviewed journal papers and his h-index is 58 with a total citation of over 11,700.