title: Chemiresistive properties regulated by nanoscale curvature in molecularly-linked nanoparticle composite assembly.
abstract: Interparticle spatial properties influence the electrical and functional properties of nanoparticle-structured assemblies. This report describes the nanoscale curvature-induced change in chemiresistive properties of molecularly-linked assemblies of gold nanoparticles on multiwalled carbon nanotubes, which are exploited for sensitive detection of volatile organic compounds. In addition to using linking/capping molecules to define interparticle spatial distances, the nanoscale curvature radius of the carbon nanotubes provides intriguing tunability of the interparticle spatial properties to influence electrical properties, which contrast with those observed for nanoparticle thin films assembled directly on chemiresistor devices. The electrical characteristics of the nanoparticle-nanotube composite give positive response profiles for the vapor molecules that are distinctively different to those observed for conventional nanoparticle thin-film assemblies. The dominant effect of electron coupling on overall chemiresistive properties is shown in relation to that of nanoscale curvature radius on the nanoparticle thin-film sensing properties. Sensing data are also further assessed in correlation with the solubility parameters of the vapor molecule. These findings have significant implications for the design of sensitive interfaces with nanocomposite-structured sensing materials and microfabricated chemiresistor devices.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 201418, China. hwcheng@sit.edu.cn and Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY13902, USA. cjzhong@binghamton.edu.
authors.forename: Han-Wen
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY13902, USA. cjzhong@binghamton.edu.
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY13902, USA. cjzhong@binghamton.edu.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 201418, China. hwcheng@sit.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY13902, USA. cjzhong@binghamton.edu.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY13902, USA. cjzhong@binghamton.edu.
authors.forename: Zakiya
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Skeete
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY13902, USA. cjzhong@binghamton.edu.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY13902, USA. cjzhong@binghamton.edu.
authors.forename: Chuan-Jian
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0746-250X
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Zhong