Nanosensors are platforms with a characteristic dimension - nanometer in scale, and work in
much the same way as a sensor; they detect either minute particles or miniscule quantities of
something.
“Nanosensors are chemical or mechanical sensors that can be used to detect the presence of
chemical species and nanoparticles, or monitor physical parameters such as temperature, on
the nanoscale.” They find use in medical diagnostic applications, food and water quality
sensing, and other chemicals.” (Nature)
Sensors will help us better understand the world we live in.
Aleksandra Lobnik, Founder of Centre for Sensor Technology at University of Maribor and
Co-founder of Institute of Sensors and Environmental Protection
Nanosensor Applications
Nanosensors can be chemical sensors or mechanical sensors. They are used:
To detect various chemicals in gases for pollution monitoring
For medical diagnostic purposes either as bloodborne sensors or in lab-on-a-chip type
devices
To monitor physical parameters such as temperature, displacement and flow
As accelerometers in MEMS devices like airbag sensors
To monitor plant signaling and metabolism to understand plant biology
To study neurotransmitters in brain for understanding neurophysiology
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Nanosensors - NX Series Nanosensors
Nanosensors aid in the progression of fields such as medical technology; precision
agriculture; urban farming; plant nanobionics; prognostics and diagnostics; SERS-based
sensors; and many industrial applications.
Nanosensors include:
Carbon Nanotube–Based Fluorescent Nanosensors
Quantum Dot–Based Fluorescent Nanosensors
DNA-Based Fluorescent Nanosensors
Peptide-Based Fluorescent Nanosensors
Plasmon Coupling–Based Nanosensors
Plasmonic Enhancing–/Quenching–Based Nanosensors
Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Based Nanosensors
Photoacoustic-Based Nanosensors
Multimodal Nanosensors (synergistic nanosensors with multiple modalities to
overcome individual challenges)
How Nanosensors Work
An analyte, sensor, transducer and detector are the components of a sensor system, with
feedback from the detector to the sensor. Sensitivity, specificity and ease of execution are the
main goals in designing a sensor.
Nanosensors typically work by monitoring electrical changes in the sensor materials.
For example, carbon nanotube-based sensors work in this way. When a molecule of nitrogen
dioxide (NO2) is present, it will strip an electron from the nanotube, which in turn causes the
nanotube to be less conductive.
If ammonia (NO3) is present, it reacts with water vapor and donates an electron to the carbon
nanotube, making it more conductive. By treating the nanotubes with various coating
materials, they can be made sensitive to certain molecules and immune to others.
Like chemical nanosensors, mechanical nanosensors also tend to measure electrical changes.
The nanosensors used in the MEMS systems that car airbags depend upon are monitoring
changes in capacitance. These systems have a miniscule weighted shaft attached to a
capacitor. The shaft bends with changes in acceleration and this is measured as changes in
capacitance.
Nanosensors have been developed to the point of measurement at the single-molecule level.
