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Advances in Micro- and Nano- Sensors/Devices for Environmental and Biomedical Applications

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A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Physical Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2023) | Viewed by 12285

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Nan Wang

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Guest Editor

School of Microelectronics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
Interests: MEMS electrochemical sensors; polymer-based flexible sensors; biosensors based on functional materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Huan Hu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

ZJU-UIUC Institute, International Campus, Zhejiang University, Haining 314400, China
Interests: advanced nanomanufacturing; bio-inspired sensing; micro/nano-sensors; lab on chip
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Jianjun Liao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
Interests: nanomaterial-based electrochemical sensors; wearable and flexible sensors; smartphone-based sensors and devices

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the rapid advances in Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, the development of miniaturized, portable and flexible micro- and nanosensors/devices is of great interest to both industries and academia. These compact sensors/devices have considerable potential in environmental applications, such as in water quality monitoring, indoor/outdoor gas sensing, soil analysis, and organic/inorganic waste detection. In addition, the use of micro- and nanosensors/devices to detect biomolecules (including proteins, nucleic acids, antibodies, amino acids, enzymes, etc.) and pathogens (such as viruses and bacteria) has become one of the most promising approaches for early diagnosis and treatment in biomedical research.

This Special Issue therefore aims to compile original research and review articles detailing recent advances in miniaturized micro- and nanosensors/devices for both environmental and biomedical applications. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

Micro-/nano chemical sensors;
Micro-/nano electrochemical sensors;
Micro-/nano biosensors;
Micro-/nano gas sensors;
Microfluidic devices;
Lab-on-a-chip devices;
BioMEMS devices;
Point-of-care sensors/devices;
Wearable and flexible sensors/devices

Dr. Nan Wang
Dr. Huan Hu
Dr. Jianjun Liao
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. Sensors 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 2600 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.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 7218 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Simulation and Analysis of Anodized Aluminum Oxide Membrane Degradation

by Saher Manzoor, Faheem Qasim, Muhammad Waseem Ashraf, Shahzadi Tayyaba, Nimra Tariq, Agustín L. Herrera-May and Enrique Delgado-Alvarado

Sensors 2023, 23(24), 9792; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23249792 - 13 Dec 2023

Viewed by 800

Abstract

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based filter with microchannels enables the removal of various microorganisms, including viruses and bacteria, from fluids. Membranes with porous channels can be used as filtration interfaces in MEMS hemofilters or mini-dialyzers. The main problems associated with the filtration process are optimization of membrane geometry and fouling. A nanoporous aluminum oxide membrane was fabricated using an optimized two-step anodization process. Computational strength modeling and analysis of the membrane with specified parameters were performed using the ANSYS structural module. A fuzzy simulation was performed for the numerical analysis of flux through the membrane. The membrane was then incorporated with the prototype for successive filtration. The fluid flux and permeation analysis of the filtration process have been studied. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs of membranes have been obtained before and after the filtration cycles. The SEM results indicate membrane fouling after multiple cycles, and thus the flux is affected. This type of fabricated membrane and setup are suitable for the separation and purification of various fluids. However, after several filtration cycles, the membrane was degraded. It requires a prolonged chemical cleaning. High-density water has been used for filtration purposes, so this MEMS-based filter can also be used as a mini-dialyzer and hemofilter in various applications for filtration. Such a demonstration also opens up a new strategy for maximizing filtration efficiency and reducing energy costs for the filtration process by using a layered membrane setup. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Micro- and Nano- Sensors/Devices for Environmental and Biomedical Applications)

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22 pages, 4824 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biosensing of Haemorheological Properties Using Microblood Flow Manipulation and Quantification

by Yang Jun Kang

Sensors 2023, 23(1), 408; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23010408 - 30 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1618

Abstract

The biomechanical properties of blood have been used to detect haematological diseases and disorders. The simultaneous measurement of multiple haemorheological properties has been considered an important aspect for separating the individual contributions of red blood cells (RBCs) and plasma. In this study, three haemorheological properties (viscosity, time constant, and RBC aggregation) were obtained by analysing blood flow, which was set to a square-wave profile (steady and transient flow). Based on a simplified differential equation derived using a discrete circuit model, the time constant for viscoelasticity was obtained by solving the governing equation rather than using the curve-fitting technique. The time constant (λ) varies linearly with respect to the interface in the coflowing channel (β). Two parameters (i.e., average value: <λ>, linear slope:

\frac{d λ}{d β}

) were newly suggested to effectively represent linearly varying time constant. <λ> exhibited more consistent results than

\frac{d λ}{d β}

. To detect variations in the haematocrit in blood, we observed that the blood viscosity (i.e., steady flow) is better than the time constant (i.e., transient flow). The blood viscosity and time constant exhibited significant differences for the hardened RBCs. The present method was then successfully employed to detect continuously varying haematocrit resulting from RBC sedimentation in a driving syringe. The present method can consistently detect variations in blood in terms of the three haemorheological properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Micro- and Nano- Sensors/Devices for Environmental and Biomedical Applications)

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11 pages, 4244 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bio-Inspired Micromachined Volumetric Flow Sensor with a Big Dynamic Range for Intravenous Systems

by Lansheng Zhang, Yingchen Yang, Georgios A. Bertos, Chang Liu and Huan Hu

Sensors 2023, 23(1), 234; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23010234 - 26 Dec 2022

Viewed by 1612

Abstract

Real-time monitoring of drug delivery in an intravenous infusion system can prevent injury caused by improper drug doses. As the medicine must be administered into the vein at different rates and doses in different people, an ideal intravenous infusion system requires both a low flow rate and large dynamic range monitoring. In this study, a bio-inspired and micromachined volumetric flow sensor is presented for the biomedical application of an intravenous system. This was realized by integrating two sensing units with different sensitivities on one silicon die to achieve a large dynamic range of the volumetric flow rate. The sensor was coated with a parylene layer for waterproofing and biocompatibility purposes. A new packaging scheme incorporating a silicon die into a flow channel was employed to demonstrate the working prototype. The test results indicate that the sensor can detect a volumetric flow rate as low as 2 mL/h, and its dynamic range is from 2 mL/h to 200 mL/h. The sensor performed better than the other two commercial sensors for low-flow detection. The high sensitivity, low cost, and small size of this flow sensor make it promising for intravenous applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Micro- and Nano- Sensors/Devices for Environmental and Biomedical Applications)

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Review

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38 pages, 24263 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Progress in Micro- and Nanotechnology-Enabled Sensors for Biomedical and Environmental Challenges

by Francisco J. Tovar-Lopez

Sensors 2023, 23(12), 5406; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23125406 - 07 Jun 2023

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 7141

Abstract

Micro- and nanotechnology-enabled sensors have made remarkable advancements in the fields of biomedicine and the environment, enabling the sensitive and selective detection and quantification of diverse analytes. In biomedicine, these sensors have facilitated disease diagnosis, drug discovery, and point-of-care devices. In environmental monitoring, they have played a crucial role in assessing air, water, and soil quality, as well as ensured food safety. Despite notable progress, numerous challenges persist. This review article addresses recent developments in micro- and nanotechnology-enabled sensors for biomedical and environmental challenges, focusing on enhancing basic sensing techniques through micro/nanotechnology. Additionally, it explores the applications of these sensors in addressing current challenges in both biomedical and environmental domains. The article concludes by emphasizing the need for further research to expand the detection capabilities of sensors/devices, enhance sensitivity and selectivity, integrate wireless communication and energy-harvesting technologies, and optimize sample preparation, material selection, and automated components for sensor design, fabrication, and characterization. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Micro- and Nano- Sensors/Devices for Environmental and Biomedical Applications)

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