Multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were easily and efficiently decorated with Pd nanoparticles through a vapor-phase impregnation-decomposition method starting from palladium acetylacetonates. The sensor device consisted on a film of sensitive material (MWCNTs-Pd) deposited by drop coating on platinum interdigitated electrodes on a SiO₂ substrate. The sensor exhibited a resistance change to ozone (O₃) with a response time of 60 s at different temperatures and the capability of detecting concentrations up to 20 ppb. The sensor shows the best response when exposed to O₃ at 120 °C. The device shows a very reproducible sensor performance, with high repeatability, full recovery and efficient response.

In this paper, we report the fabrication and characterization of a portable transdermal alcohol sensing device via a human finger, using tin dioxide (SnO₂) chemoresistive gas sensors. Compared to conventional detectors, this non-invasive technique allowed us the continuous monitoring of alcohol with low cost and simple fabrication process. The sensing layers used in this work were fabricated by using the reactive radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering technique. Their structure and morphology were investigated by means of X-ray spectroscopy (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The results indicated that the annealing time has an important impact on the sensor sensitivity. Before performing the transdermal measurements, the sensors were exposed to a wide range of ethanol concentrations and the results displayed good responses with high sensitivity, stability, and a rapid detection time. Moreover, against high relative humidity (50% and 70%), the sensors remained resistant by showing a slight change in their gas sensing performances. A volunteer (an adult researcher from our volunteer group) drank 50 mL of tequila in order to realize the transdermal alcohol monitoring. Fifteen minutes later, the volunteer’s skin started to evacuate alcohol and the sensor resistance began to decline. Simultaneously, breath alcohol measurements were attained using a DRAGER 6820 certified breathalyzer. The results demonstrated a clear correlation between the alcohol concentration in the blood, breath, and via perspiration, which validated the embedded transdermal alcohol device reported in this work.

In this paper, we report the significant role played by the testing chamber for measuring the true gas sensor responses. Two different designs were studied and compared. The first one has a cross-shape in which the direction of gas flow is perpendicular to the sensor surface. The second one has a boat-shape in which the gas flow is tangential to the sensor surface. The results demonstrated that contrarily to the cross-shape chamber, the gas concentration is highly homogenous and equal to the set point in the boat-shape chamber. Additionally, the sensor responses are much stable, faster and higher. Besides, all the mathematical modeling and simulation results are in a good agreement with the experimental studies, which allow the validation of the proposed boat-shape chamber model.

Although semiconducting metal oxide (SMOx) nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted attention as sensing materials, the methodologies available to synthesize them with desirable properties are quite limited and/or often require relatively high energy consumption. Thus, we report herein the processing of Zn-doped SnO₂ NPs via a microwave-assisted nonaqueous route at a relatively low temperature (160 °C) and with a short treatment time (20 min). In addition, the effects of adding Zn in the structural, electronic, and gas-sensing properties of SnO₂ NPs were investigated. X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy analyses revealed the single-phase of rutile SnO₂, with an average crystal size of 7 nm. X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy measurements revealed the homogenous incorporation of Zn ions into the SnO₂ network. Gas sensing tests showed that Zn-doped SnO₂ NPs were highly sensitive to sub-ppm levels of NO₂ gas at 150 °C, with good recovery and stability even under ambient moisture. We observed an increase in the response of the Zn-doped sample of up to 100 times compared to the pristine one. This enhancement in the gas-sensing performance was linked to the Zn ions that provided more surface oxygen defects acting as active sites for the NO₂ adsorption on the sensing material.