A Set of Platforms with Combinatorial and High-Throughput Technique for Gas Sensing, from Material to Device and to System.

In a new E-nose development, the sensor array needs to be optimized to have enough sensitivity and selectivity for gas/odor classification in the application. The development process includes the preparation of gas sensitive materials, gas sensor fabrication, array optimization, sensor array package and E-nose system integration, which would take a long time to complete. A set of platforms including a gas sensing film parallel synthesis platform, high-throughput gas sensing unmanned testing platform and a handheld wireless E-nose system were presented in this paper to improve the efficiency of a new E-nose development. Inkjet printing was used to parallel synthesize sensor libraries (400 sensors can be prepared each time). For gas sensor selection and array optimization, a high-throughput unmanned testing platform was designed and fabricated for gas sensing measurements of more than 1000 materials synchronously. The structures of a handheld wireless E-nose system with low power were presented in detail. Using the proposed hardware platforms, a new E-nose development might only take one week.

A Designed ZnO@ZIF-8 Core-Shell Nanorod Film as a Gas Sensor with Excellent Selectivity for H2 over CO.

The development of H2 gas sensors is important for H2 production as a fuel. In this work, a ZnO@ZIF-8 core-shell nanorod film is designed and synthesized as a gas sensor through a facile solution deposition process. This film shows an excellent selective response for H2 over CO. By fine-tuning the reaction conditions, a ZnO@ZIF-8 core-shell structure with a thin, fine-grain, porous ZIF-8 shell is obtained. Owing to the facile H2 penetration through the ZIF-8 thin shell (≈110 nm) and the increased oxygen vacancies for the complex film, the ZnO@ZIF-8 nanorod film shows a higher H2 sensitivity than a raw ZnO nanorod film. More importantly, the ZnO@ZIF-8 nanorod film shows no response for CO at 200 °C. Because of the fine-grain confinement of the porous ZIF-8 shell (<140 nm), the molecular sieving effect is strengthened, which allows the effective separation of H2 over CO. This work provides a promising strategy for the design of high-performance H2 sensors.

Azadipyrromethene-based Zn(II) complexes as nonplanar conjugated electron acceptors for organic photovoltaics.

The effectiveness of new a electron acceptor for organic solar cells is demonstrated. The acceptor is a homoleptic zinc(II) complex of 2,6-diphenylethynyl-1,3,7,9-tetraphenylazadipyrromethene. The high power-conversion efficiency obtained is attributed to the acceptor's 3D structure, which prevents crystallization and promotes a favourable nanoscale morphology, its high Voc , and its ability to contribute to light harvesting at 600-800 nm.