The research team of the Institute of Physics is actively discovering the mechanism of the chemiresistive response to alcohol and ammonia molecules on the surface of a new 2D material - molybdenum carbide Mo2C. It has been discovered recently, in the last 2-3 years, and now its properties are studied by the world leading research organisations. Such materials are called MXenes.
2D-materials are the most promising for creating gas sensors that are able to detect the presence in the surrounding environment of even one molecule of alcohols, ammonia, and acetone out of a million other molecules. Here MXenes were the most effective. They are monolayer thin films based on transition metal carbides and nitrides. The sensitivity of their surface to the presence of the slightest component of harmful substances is maximum in comparison with all the known analogues.
For the first time in the world, a group of SSU physicists, in particular, Assistant of the Department of Radiotechnology and Electrodynamics, SSU, Dmitrii Kolosov and an engineer (a postgraduate) Pavel Barkov led by Professor Olga Glukhova, has conducted the theoretical study of this material electrical conductivity upon contact of its surface with molecules of ammonia and various alcohols as well as a change in the quantum capacity. In addition, they determined the effect of moisture on sensory properties. The calculation results are in complete agreement with the results of the experimental study, which shows that they are promising in gas sensors operating at room temperature.
Moreover, such 2D-materials open up new perspectives to create an “electronic nose” – a highly sensitive multichip that provides highly accurate recognition of the presence of harmful substances in the air.
The research is carried out as part of the Chemistry and New Materials strategic project of the Priority-2030 programme. The study makes a significant fundamental contribution to the further development of materials science of crystals with a reduced dimension. The research results were published in the Advanced Materials leading materials science journal with an impact factor of 30.849 (CiteScore 45.6). The figure shows the MXene surface upon contact with water molecules.
This study was carried out together with leading specialists from the University of Duisburg-Essen (Germany), Yuri Gagarin State Technical University of Saratov, NUST MISIS (Moscow), the University of Rome Tor Vergata (Italy), the Institute of Matter Structure (Italy), and Breitmeier Messtechnik GmbH (Germany).
