title: Bacteriorhodopsin-ZnO hybrid as a potential sensing element for low-temperature detection of ethanol vapour.
abstract: Zinc oxide (ZnO) and bacteriorhodopsin (bR) hybrid nanostructures were fabricated by immobilizing bR on ZnO thin films and ZnO nanorods. The morphological and spectroscopic analysis of the hybrid structures confirmed the ZnO thin film/nanorod growth and functional properties of bR. The photoactivity results of the bR protein further corroborated the sustainability of its charge transport property and biological activity. When exposed to ethanol vapour (reducing gas) at low temperature (70 °C), the fabricated sensing elements showed a significant increase in resistivity, as opposed to the conventional n-type behaviour of bare ZnO nanostructures. This work opens up avenues towards the fabrication of low temperature, photoactivated, nanomaterial-biomolecule hybrid gas sensors.
authors.affiliation: CSIR-Central Scientific Instruments Organisation, Sector 30C, Chandigarh 160030, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Rafi Marg, New Delhi 110011, India.
authors.forename: Saurav
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: CSIR-Central Scientific Instruments Organisation, Sector 30C, Chandigarh 160030, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Rafi Marg, New Delhi 110011, India.
authors.forename: Sudeshna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bagchi
authors.affiliation: CSIR- Institute of Microbial Technology, Sector 39A, Chandigarh 160036, India.
authors.forename: Senthil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.affiliation: CSIR-Central Scientific Instruments Organisation, Sector 30C, Chandigarh 160030, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Rafi Marg, New Delhi 110011, India.
authors.forename: Anupma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: CSIR-Central Scientific Instruments Organisation, Sector 30C, Chandigarh 160030, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Rafi Marg, New Delhi 110011, India.
authors.forename: Ritesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: CSIR-Central Scientific Instruments Organisation, Sector 30C, Chandigarh 160030, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Rafi Marg, New Delhi 110011, India.
authors.forename: Rishemjit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.affiliation: Research Services, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada T6G2E1.
authors.forename: Jagvir
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: CSIR-Central Scientific Instruments Organisation, Sector 30C, Chandigarh 160030, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Rafi Marg, New Delhi 110011, India.
authors.forename: Amol P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Bhondekar
keywords: ITO; ZnO nanostructure; amphipol; bacteriorhodopsin; bio-hybrid; gas sensing