Low-Concentration Ammonia Gas Sensors Manufactured Using the CMOS-MEMS Technique.

This study describes the fabrication of an ammonia gas sensor (AGS) using a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS)-microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technique. The structure of the AGS features interdigitated electrodes (IDEs) and a sensing material on a silicon substrate. The IDEs are the stacked aluminum layers that are made using the CMOS process. The sensing material; polypyrrole/reduced graphene oxide (PPy/RGO), is synthesized using the oxidation-reduction method; and the material is characterized using an electron spectroscope for chemical analysis (ESCA), a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and high-resolution X-ray diffraction (XRD). After the CMOS process; the AGS needs post-processing to etch an oxide layer and to deposit the sensing material. The resistance of the AGS changes when it is exposed to ammonia. A non-inverting amplifier circuit converts the resistance of the AGS into a voltage signal. The AGS operates at room temperature. Experiments show that the AGS response is 4.5% at a concentration of 1 ppm NH3; and it exhibits good repeatability. The lowest concentration that the AGS can detect is 0.1 ppm NH3.

Effect of metal coordination on photocurrent response properties of a tetrathiafulvalene organogel film.

Organic low molecular weight gelators with a tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) unit have received considerable attention because the formed gels usually exhibit redox active response and conducting or semiconducting properties. However, to our knowledge, metal coordination systems have not been reported for TTF-derived gels up to date. We have designed and synthesized a series of TTF derivatives with a diamide-diamino moiety that can coordinate to specific metal ions with square coordination geometry. Gelation properties and morphologies of the films prepared by the gelators in different hydrophobic solvents are characterized. The TTF derivative with a dodecyl group shows effective gelation properties, and electrodes with the organogel films are prepared. The effect of the Ni(II) and Cu(II) coordination on the photocurrent response property of the electrodes is examined. The metal square coordination significantly increases the photocurrent response. This gel system is the first metal coordination related TTF-gel-based photoelectric material. The mechanism of the metal coordination-improved photocurrent response property is discussed based on the crystal structural analysis and theoretical calculations.

A new type of charge-transfer salts based on tetrathiafulvalene-tetracarboxylate coordination polymers and methyl viologen.

Although charge-transfer compounds based on tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) derivatives have been intensively studied, {[cation](n+)·[TTFs](n-)} ion pair charge-transfer (IPCT) salts have not been reported. The aim of this research is to introduce functional organic cations, such as photoactive methyl viologen (MV(2+)), into the negatively charged TTF-metal coordination framework to obtain this new type of IPCT complex. X-ray structural analysis of the four compounds (MV)2[Li4(L)2(H2O)6] (1), {(MV)(L)[Na2(H2O)8]·4H2O}n (2), {(MV)[Mn(L)(H2O)2]·2H2O}n (3), and {(MV)[Mn(L)(H2O)2]}n (4), reveals that the electron donor (D) TTF moiety and the electron acceptor (A) MV(2+) form a regular mixed-stack arrangement in alternating DADA fashion. The TTF moiety and the MV(2+) cation are essentially parallel stacked to form the column structures. The strong electrostatic interaction is a main force to shorten the distance between the cation and anion planes. Optical diffuse-reflection spectra indicate that charge transfer occurs in these complexes. The ESR and magnetic measurements confirm that there is strong charge-transfer-induced partial electron transfer. Compounds 2, 3, and 4 show an effective and repeatable photocurrent response. The current intensities of 3 and 4 are higher than that of 2, which reflects that the coordination center of the Mn(II) ion has a great effect on the increasing photocurrent response.