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Applied Sciences
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Applications of Graphene Family Materials for Environmental Sensing
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Applications of Graphene Family Materials for Environmental Sensing

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanotechnology and Applied Nanosciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 March 2022) | Viewed by 13771

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Filippo Giannazzo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche–Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems (CNR-IMM), Strada VIII, I-95121 Catania, Italy
Interests: 2D materials (graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides); wide-bandgap semiconductors (SiC, GaN); high-power and high-frequency electronics; electrical atomic force microscopy (C-AFM, SCM, SSRM)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Ivan Shtepliuk

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linkoping University, SE-58183 Linkoping, Sweden
Interests: study of sensing properties of graphene and graphene-based materials; study of properties of wide band gap semiconductors and related quantum wells; density functional theory; Raman spectroscopy; metals
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A forthcoming Special Issue titled “Applications of Graphene Family Materials for Environmental Sensing” is intended to provide a platform for members of the graphene community to present their latest experimental and theoretical findings in the field of environmental sensing. Environmental sensing becomes vitally important in view of the ever-growing industrial activity and related uncontrolled emission of hazardous substances, especially toxic heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, and nitrogen-containing organic compounds. Thus, a development of innovative sensing technologies based on cheap and eco-friendly materials is essential to realize real-time monitoring of environmental conditions (indoor and outdoor air quality, water quality etc.) and minimize the anthropogenic impact on the environment. Ever since discovery of graphene, graphene-family materials (GFMs) have been attracted particular attention for their sensing properties and have been exploited as both active and passive components of sensors. However, despite a lot of research effort towards implementation of graphene GFMs into realistic applications, there are still many technological and scientific issues that must be addressed.

The current Special Issue will focus on recent advances in graphene sensorics, including design and experimental characterization of highly sensitive GFMs as well as innovative sensing technologies (colorimetric sensors, optical fingerprint sensors, inkjet-printed sensors on flexible substrates etc.). Advances in multivariate statistical analysis in graphene-based sensing technologies are encouraged. Review papers focusing on knowledge systemization of detection methods and sensing mechanisms are greatly appreciated.

Dr. Filippo Giannazzo
Dr. Ivan Shtepliuk
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Graphene
  • Graphene oxide
  • Graphene quantum dots
  • Functionalized graphene
  • Metal-decorated graphene
  • Epitaxial graphene
  • Doped graphene
  • Environmental sensing
  • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
  • Toxic heavy metals
  • Nitrogen-containing organic compounds (NOCs)
  • Water quality
  • Gas sensors
  • Colorimetric sensors
  • Humidity sensing
  • Biomolecular sensing
  • Sensing mechanisms
  • Theoretical aspects of sensing
  • Micro and nanoscale characterization of graphene sensors

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 2836 KiB  
Article
Hydrogenated Graphene Based Organic Thin Film Transistor Sensor for Detection of Chloride Ions as Corrosion Precursors
by Mounia Chakik, Siziwe Bebe and Ravi Prakash
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(2), 863; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12020863 - 15 Jan 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1678
Abstract
Corrosion monitoring and management has been at the center of structural health monitoring protocols due to its damaging effects on metallic structures. Current corrosion prevention and management programs often fail to include environmental factors such as Cl− ions and surface wetness. Early [...] Read more.
Corrosion monitoring and management has been at the center of structural health monitoring protocols due to its damaging effects on metallic structures. Current corrosion prevention and management programs often fail to include environmental factors such as Cl− ions and surface wetness. Early detection of these environmental factors can prevent the onset of corrosion and reduce repair and maintenance-related expenses. There is growing interest in creating solution-processed thin film environmental sensors with high sensitivity to corrosion precursors, low-cost fabrication, and small footprint, rendering them viable candidates for investigation as potential corrosion sensors that could be easily integrated into existing structures and screen printed or patterned directly into surface coatings. In this work, we have implemented C60-based n-type organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) with functionalized graphene oxide for humidity sensing and functionalized graphene nanoparticles for Cl− ion detection, using low-cost solution processing techniques. The reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-coated OTFT humidity sensor is designed for the qualitative estimation of surface moisture levels and high levels of humidity, and it exhibits a relative responsivity for dry to surface wetness transition of 122.6% to surface wetness, within a response time of 20 ms. We furthermore implemented an in-house synthesized hydrogenated graphene coating in conjunction with a second OTFT architecture for Cl− ions sensing which yielded a sensitivity of 4%/ppm to ultrafine ionic concentrations, over an order of magnitude lower than the range identified to cause corrosion in aircraft structures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Graphene Family Materials for Environmental Sensing)
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12 pages, 18031 KiB  
Article
Sensing of Transition Metals by Top-Down Carbon Dots
by Federico Bruno, Alice Sciortino, Gianpiero Buscarino, Marco Cannas, Franco Mario Gelardi, Fabrizio Messina and Simonpietro Agnello
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(21), 10360; https://doi.org/10.3390/app112110360 - 04 Nov 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1615
Abstract
Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are a new class of carbon-rich materials with a range of unique optical and structural properties. They can be defined as carbon nanoparticles, with sizes in the range of 1–10 nm, displaying absorption and emission activities in the UV-VIS [...] Read more.
Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are a new class of carbon-rich materials with a range of unique optical and structural properties. They can be defined as carbon nanoparticles, with sizes in the range of 1–10 nm, displaying absorption and emission activities in the UV-VIS range. Depending on the structure, CQDs display a wide variability of properties, which provides the possibility of finely tuning them for several applications. The great advantages of CQDs are certainly the ease of synthesis, non-toxicity, and the strong interactions with the surrounding environment. Based on this, CQDs are especially promising as selective chemosensors. The present study reports on carbon quantum dots synthesized with a top-down (TD) approach, and characterized by different optical, spectroscopic, and morphological techniques to identify the selectivity for metal ions belonging to the first transition series. In particular, the study focuses on the interaction between two samples, namely TD and TDA, featuring different surface functionalization, and heavy metal ions. Their sensing towards Co2+, Cu2+, Fe3+, Zn2+, and Ni2+ has been tested by fluorescence (PL), steady state absorption spectroscopy, and time-resolved PL spectroscopy, in order to determine the fluorescence quenching. We found a PL quenching in the presence of concentrations of metal salts starting from 0.5 µM, and a selectivity towards the interacting ions, depending on CQDs’ surface features paving the way for their use for sensing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Graphene Family Materials for Environmental Sensing)
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Review

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21 pages, 8817 KiB  
Review
Role of Förster Resonance Energy Transfer in Graphene-Based Nanomaterials for Sensing
by G. Prabakaran, K. Velmurugan, C. Immanuel David and R. Nandhakumar
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(14), 6844; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12146844 - 06 Jul 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1517
Abstract
Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based fluorescence sensing of various target analytes has been of growing interest in the environmental, bioimaging, and diagnosis fields. Graphene-based zero- (0D) to two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials, such as graphene quantum dots (GQDs), graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), [...] Read more.
Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based fluorescence sensing of various target analytes has been of growing interest in the environmental, bioimaging, and diagnosis fields. Graphene-based zero- (0D) to two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials, such as graphene quantum dots (GQDs), graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and graphdiyne (GD), can potentially be employed as donors/acceptors in FRET-based sensing approaches because of their unique electronic and photoluminescent properties. In this review, we discuss the basics of FRET, as well as the role of graphene-based nanomaterials (GQDs, GO, rGO, and GD) for sensing various analytes, including cations, amino acids, explosives, pesticides, biomolecules, bacteria, and viruses. In addition, the graphene-based nanomaterial sensing strategy could be applied in environmental sample analyses, and the reason for the lower detection ranges (micro- to pico-molar concentration) could also be explained in detail. Challenges and future directions for designing nanomaterials with a new sensing approach and better sensing performance will also be highlighted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Graphene Family Materials for Environmental Sensing)
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19 pages, 5625 KiB  
Review
Substrate-Driven Atomic Layer Deposition of High-κ Dielectrics on 2D Materials
by Emanuela Schilirò, Raffaella Lo Nigro, Fabrizio Roccaforte and Filippo Giannazzo
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(22), 11052; https://doi.org/10.3390/app112211052 - 22 Nov 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4919
Abstract
Atomic layer deposition (ALD) of high-κ dielectrics on two-dimensional (2D) materials (including graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides) still represents a challenge due to the lack of out-of-plane bonds on the pristine surfaces of 2D materials, thus making the nucleation process highly disadvantaged. The [...] Read more.
Atomic layer deposition (ALD) of high-κ dielectrics on two-dimensional (2D) materials (including graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides) still represents a challenge due to the lack of out-of-plane bonds on the pristine surfaces of 2D materials, thus making the nucleation process highly disadvantaged. The typical methods to promote the nucleation (i.e., the predeposition of seed layers or the surface activation via chemical treatments) certainly improve the ALD growth but can affect, to some extent, the electronic properties of 2D materials and the interface with high-κ dielectrics. Hence, direct ALD on 2D materials without seed and functionalization layers remains highly desirable. In this context, a crucial role can be played by the interaction with the substrate supporting the 2D membrane. In particular, metallic substrates such as copper or gold have been found to enhance the ALD nucleation of Al2O3 and HfO2 both on monolayer (1 L) graphene and MoS2. Similarly, uniform ALD growth of Al2O3 on the surface of 1 L epitaxial graphene (EG) on SiC (0001) has been ascribed to the peculiar EG/SiC interface properties. This review provides a detailed discussion of the substrate-driven ALD growth of high-κ dielectrics on 2D materials, mainly on graphene and MoS2. The nucleation mechanism and the influence of the ALD parameters (namely the ALD temperature and cycle number) on the coverage as well as the structural and electrical properties of the deposited high-κ thin films are described. Finally, the open challenges for applications are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Graphene Family Materials for Environmental Sensing)
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17 pages, 6502 KiB  
Review
Epitaxial Graphene on 4H-SiC (0001) as a Versatile Platform for Materials Growth: Mini-Review
by Ivan Shtepliuk, Filippo Giannazzo and Rositsa Yakimova
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(13), 5784; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11135784 - 22 Jun 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2942
Abstract
Material growth on a dangling-bond-free interface such as graphene is a challenging technological task, which usually requires additional surface pre-treatment steps (functionalization, seed layer formation) to provide enough reactive sites. Being one of the most promising and adaptable graphene-family materials, epitaxial graphene on [...] Read more.
Material growth on a dangling-bond-free interface such as graphene is a challenging technological task, which usually requires additional surface pre-treatment steps (functionalization, seed layer formation) to provide enough reactive sites. Being one of the most promising and adaptable graphene-family materials, epitaxial graphene on SiC, due to its internal features (substrate-induced n-doping, compressive strain, terrace-stepped morphology, bilayer graphene nano-inclusions), may provide pre-conditions for the enhanced binding affinity of environmental species, precursor molecules, and metal atoms on the topmost graphene layer. It makes it possible to use untreated pristine epitaxial graphene as a versatile platform for the deposition of metals and insulators. This mini-review encompasses relevant aspects of magnetron sputtering and electrodeposition of selected metals (Au, Ag, Pb, Hg, Cu, Li) and atomic layer deposition of insulating Al2O3 layers on epitaxial graphene on 4H-SiC, focusing on understanding growth mechanisms. Special deliberation has been given to the effect of the deposited materials on the epitaxial graphene quality. The generalization of the experimental and theoretical results presented here is hopefully an important step towards new electronic devices (chemiresistors, Schottky diodes, field-effect transistors) for environmental sensing, nano-plasmonics, and biomedical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Graphene Family Materials for Environmental Sensing)
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