Sensing material selection area application

The engineering of porosity in silica has been emerging as a new area of interest, particularly since the development of the MCM-type of materials [2], Indeed, tailor-made pore sizes and shapes are particularly important in applications where molecular recognition is needed, such as shape-selective catalysis, molecular sieving, chemical sensing and selective adsorption [3],... 

Electrochemical biosensors may be expected to maintain their leading position up to the end of the century. In this respect, the availability of transducers, eg, ion-selective field-effect transistors prepared by mass-production technology, will result in widespread application. In addition to one-shot use, multifunctional sensing in minute volumes will be realized. In addition to electrodes, optical, thermometric, and piezoelectric transducers are likely to become exploited in the next generation of sensor. Inexpensive equipment to be used in all areas where material has to be detected and quantified will be produced by integrating the Hxation of the biocomponent with the micromechanical fabrication of the analyzers. 

The unique structure and electronic properties of CNTs provide a tremendous potential for construction of CNTs and MOX hybrid materials in the field of gas-sensing applications. Advantages for mixing CNTs in metal oxides for gas sensors are the reduction of operating temperature and enhancement of sensitivity and selectivity due to the amplification effects of p-n heterojunctions with the gas reaction, formation of nanochannels for gas diffusion, high specific surface area, and increase of charge carrier on the surface. As a result of these advantages, the hybrid CNT/metal oxide gas sensor may be used instead of the popular commercial metal oxide gas sensors (such as TGS gas sensors) in the near future. 

The second part of the book compiles some practical aspects of metal oxides, with emphasis in catalytic applications. Metal oxides represent an expanding class of compounds with a wide range applications in several areas such as materials science and catalysis, chemical sensing, microelectronics, nanotechnology, environmental decontamination, analytical chemistry, solid-state chemistry, and fuel cells. Our basic knowledge on the metal oxide chemistry is relatively far from that for metals, and as yet, little is known about fundamental relationships between reactivity of oxide compounds and their chemical compositions, crystal structures, and electronic properties at the surface. When examining the importance of metal oxides, and specifically TMOs, in several reactions such as dehydration, selective oxidations, olefin metathesis, VOCs removal, photocatalysis, water splitting, and electrocatalysis, attempts will be made in order to connect properties of the oxides and their reactivity. Since the catalytic phenomenon is confined to the external surface of the solids where molecules or atoms interact, the study of this interaction... 

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