title: Nanoparticle networks as chemoselective sensing devices.
abstract: We theoretically analyzed transport properties of a molecular network constructed of gold nanoparticles linked with oligophenylenevinulene (OPV) molecules. We showed that the conductance of such system was strongly reduced when trinitrotoluene (TNT) became attached to the OPV linkers in the network. The reported results are based on the ab initio electronic structure calculations. These results corroborate and elucidate experiments which revealed significant drops in the conductance the network while the latter was exposed to TNT vapors. The results suggest that the detected sensitivity of transport characteristics of the considered nanoparticle network to TNT may be used to design a sensing nanodevice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Electronics, University of Puerto Rico-Humacao, CUH Station, Humacao, Puerto Rico. natalya.zimbovskaya@upr.edu
authors.forename: Natalya A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Zimbovskaya
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Pederson
authors.forename: Amy S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.forename: Banahalli R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Ratna
authors.forename: Reeshemah
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Allen