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Picoliter Drop Deposition of Oxide Nanoparticles: A Route to High Performance Microsensor Arrays

Beach, Elvin R., III

Abstract Details

2009, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Materials Science and Engineering.

Solid state gas sensors are widely used to detect trace levels of different gases. Micro-hotplates provide a robust substrate for miniaturized solid state sensors; however, no well-established technique exists for depositing metal oxide particles directly onto these microhotplates. A novel picoliter drop deposition technique based on ink-jet printing was developed here to achieve accurate, precise drop placement and reproducible film formation.

Oxide nanoparticles are the key to creating high performance gas sensors; therefore, syn-thetic techniques capable of controlling the size, shape, composition and microstructure were explored. Tin oxide nanoparticles were synthesized using a hydrothermal route able to produce crystalline nanoparticles. The diameter of these particles was controlled be-tween 3 and 10 nm by controlling the reaction temperature. Templating of tin oxide nanoparticles into hollow microshells with spherical pores incorporated into the micro-structure was pursued using various assembly techniques. Hollow spheres with a pore diameter of 100 nm – 1 μm with a thin nanostructured shell were realized. In addition a new solvothermal synthesis technique for making crystalline nickel oxide nanoparticles with diameters in the range of 5 – 6nm was devised during the course of this research. Optimal synthesis conditions and the reaction mechanism were elucidated.

The picoliter drop deposition technique was utilized for the first time here to fabricate oxide nanoparticle-based films directly on microhotplate substrates. Tin oxide nanoparti-cle-laden suspensions were formulated to reduce the working agglomerate size, enable consistent first drop formation and prevent nozzle clogging. A priming technique was introduced to enable accurate, repeatable drop deposition onto the microsensor platforms. A dynamic drop placement methodology was also developed which resulted in a uniform oxide nanoparticle film formation on microhotplate.

Microsensors made using the picoliter drop deposited tin oxide nanoparticles showed high gas sensor responses to reducing gases at concentrations levels of 10 – 100 parts per million. The sensing results verify that the combination of nanoparticles synthesized in this work and the novel picoliter drop deposition technique provides a versatile new path-way for gas microsensor fabrication.

Patricia Morris, PhD (Advisor)
Sheikh Akbar, PhD (Committee Member)
Henk Verweij, PhD (Committee Member)
262 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Beach, III, E. R. (2009). Picoliter Drop Deposition of Oxide Nanoparticles: A Route to High Performance Microsensor Arrays [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1249675063

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Beach, III, Elvin. Picoliter Drop Deposition of Oxide Nanoparticles: A Route to High Performance Microsensor Arrays. 2009. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1249675063.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Beach, III, Elvin. "Picoliter Drop Deposition of Oxide Nanoparticles: A Route to High Performance Microsensor Arrays." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1249675063

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)