STTR Phase II: Graphene Based NOx Detector

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II project will develop a low-cost, high sensitivity detector for nitrogen oxides (NOx). The detector will be based on the recently discovered material - graphene. In its most elemental form, graphene consists of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal array. Since first isolated in 2004, scientists have been rapidly documenting the unusual physical and electrical properties of graphene, and the many potential commercial applications of this unique and multifunctional material. Gas detectors, such as the presently proposed NOx sensor, will be the first commercial application for graphene based devices. Graphene films can potentially detect down to a single molecule of an adsorbed gas. The broader impacts of this research are that the availability of an effective, inexpensive NOx sensor will enable closed-loop control of engine conditions in auto and truck applications, allowing manufacturers to simultaneously optimize vehicle performance and fuel economy, while maintaining NOx emissions within standards. A portable version of the inexpensive NOx sensor will also enable emissions monitoring for a wide range of other industrial and regulatory applications. In addition, the technology developed will extend the knowledge base for graphene material processing and device applications. Many more applications for graphene are possible, ranging from high speed transistors to spintronic devices to radiation detectors (THz through infrared to optical) to NEMS devices. Graphene also offers the potential to combine these functions into a single device.