Fluctuation-enhanced sensing with organically functionalized gold nanoparticle gas sensors targeting biomedical applications

• An organically-functionalized gold nanoparticles gas sensor was developed.
• The resistive gas sensor is selectively sensitive to formaldehyde.
• Fluctuation enhanced sensing was applied to detect formaldehyde.

Detection of volatile organic compounds is a useful approach to non-invasive diagnosis of diseases through breath analysis. Our experimental study presents a newly developed prototype gas sensor, based on organically-functionalized gold nanoparticles, and results on formaldehyde detection using fluctuation-enhanced gas sensing. Formaldehyde was easily detected via intense fluctuations of the gas sensor's resistance, while the cross-influence of ethanol vapor (a confounding factor in exhaled breath, related to alcohol consumption) was negligible.

An organically-functionalized gold nanoparticles gas sensor is selectively sensitive to volatile organic compounds detected by fluctuation enhanced method (e.g. voltage fluctuations).Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide