The goal of this proof-of-concept project is to translate a research discovery made in the Mao lab with prior NSF funding into nanosensor devices. Nanowires have been applied to sensing for over 10 years but few nanowire sensors have reached the market. The major barriers are the complexity of manufacturing and difficulty in connecting nanowires in microelectronic devices. This PFI AIR:TT funding has enabled the PI Dr. Guangzhao Mao at Wayne State University to work with co-PI Nicholas Cucinelli, a serial entrepreneur and mentor, to move the NSF-funded research along the path toward commercialization. We have constructed several sensor prototypes for gas/vapor sensing include a glass chip, a watch, and a networkable circuit.

Intellectual Merit:

Our approach is a solution based, room temperature process, which facilitates scalable manufacturing directly on existing microelectronic circuitry. The Mao lab made the original discovery that when mixing organic crystalline compounds with nanoparticles in a solution, nanowires nucleated on nanoparticles upon solvent evaporation. Subsequently we have developed and tested a working hypothesis that links the nanowire formation to the nanoconfinement effect imposed by the nanoparticle seed. The nanoconfinement concept has been successfully applied to the synthesis of nanowires of tetrathiafulvalene charge-transfer salts on gold nanoparticle seeds using electrocrystallization. In current competing technologies, nanowires need to be aligned and placed at precise locations and orientations on the patterned substrates, a complex process to scale up. Our method synthesizes organic nanowires directly on the metal substrates by using the metal micro- and nanopattern as nucleation points to grow the nanowires. We have achieved the following specific outcomes: 1) confirmation of the seed-mediated nanowires as conductive nanomaterials, 2) reproducible construction of nanowire connections on microelectrode patterns based on our method, and 3) demonstration of functional nanowires for electrochemical sensing of gases and vapors.

Broader Impacts:

The proof-of-concept project has demonstrated the capability and reliability of our nanowire materials as signal transducers in a prototype sensor device built on commercial electronic components. Our extensive market research has led to our focus on dual use technology: ammonia detection for worker safety and energetics detection for military use. The PI and her students have benefited from exposure to business and commercialization methodologies, access to Michigan?s Tech Transfer Talent Network resources, and deeper engagement in the university tech transfer process. The PI has worked closely with a number of underrepresented minority students in her laboratory who benefited from exposure to this research. The INTERN supplement has exposed the graduate student to new knowledge and skills that are not normally part of the academic training in a chemical engineering department.

Last Modified: 06/27/2019
Modified by: Guangzhao Mao