Bengaluru: The Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology, has designed a gas sensor to detect nitrogen oxide at ultra-low concentrations. The development will address a key challenge of detecting low-level pollutants at room temperature. It will also provide for precise air quality monitoring systems in urban and industrial areas.
The launch of the device marks a significant breakthrough in gas sensing technology. Gas sensors have been playing a pivotal role in facilitating environmental monitoring, industrial safety, and healthcare diagnostics. In the last few decades, chemiresistive gas sensors, that detect gas molecules based on variations in material resistance, have gained popularity for the detection of different gases. However, these sensors lack selectivity for specific gases and face issues like low sensitivity at parts per billion level. In addition, they need high temperatures for operation which limits their practical use. The gas sensor technology developed by CeNS aims to address these limitations as it will be able to monitor gas particles at very low concentrations and room temperature.
According to the sensing studies conducted, the device has displayed exceptional performance and has been successfully able to detect nitrogen oxide molecules under ambient conditions. The team at CeNS also observed that the sensor can significantly lower operational costs, making way for more affordable and accessible environmental monitoring solutions.
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