RR8: Evaluation of sensitivity, selectivity and stability of MOF- and zeolite-functionalized resistive sensors, sensor arrays, and pre-concentrators for the detection of VOCs mixtures

Project Title: Evaluation of sensitivity, selectivity and stability of MOF- and zeolite-functionalized resistive sensors, sensor arrays, and pre-concentrators for the detection of VOCs mixtures (WP4)

Host Institution: TUM

Country: Moldova

Supervisors: Prof. O. Lupan (TUM); Secondary Supervisors: Prof. R. Adelung (CAU), Bert Ungethüm (Airsense)

Objectives:

  • Development of a testing setup for low concentration VOC gas sensing experiments for mixed atmospheres in defined concentrations
  • Electrical and Chemical-electrical evaluation of sensor arrays down to the 10 ppb range
  • Implementation of multiple sensor arrays readouts for cross-platform sensing and correlated signal evaluation
  • Long-term stability and sensor drift tests for quality assessment

Short Description of Work & Expected Results:

  • An existing gas-sensing setup will be modified to sense low concentrations (down to the ppbrange) of the proposed VOC as well as mixtures of these compounds with both air and other known VOCs like acetone and ethanol.
  • A measurement stage will be implemented to test sensors and arrays fabricated at CAU at different temperatures and atmosphere compositions.

Planned secondment(s):

  • Host: CAU, Prof. R. Adelung, Timing: year 1, Length 6 months, Topic: Sensor fabrication via inkjet deposition and other patterning methods.
  • Host: Airsense, Andreas Walte & Bert Ungethüm, Timing: year 3, Length 2 months, Topic: Programming sensor read-out software.

Enrolment in Doctoral degree(s): TUM & CAU

Candidate requirements: 

  • The ideal candidate would have a background in Applied Physics: Physics and technology of materials; Physics of nanosystems and nanotechnology or a background as a Solid State Electronics engineer: nano-microelectronics and optoelectronics; technology and components in electronics; solid state electronics; biomedical equipment and devices.

Recruited researcher: Rajat Nagpal