A research team led by Professor Yeong-Don Park from Incheon National University has developed a new type of biodegradable, high-performance gas sensor. These sensors are designed to be durable, environmentally friendly, and suitable for large-scale or disposable use. This breakthrough could help reduce electronic waste while improving air quality monitoring.
Organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) are promising for portable gas sensors. They are lightweight, flexible, and easy to manufacture. These sensors can detect pollutants like nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), which comes from burning fossil fuels. NO₂ is harmful to human health and linked to respiratory problems such as asthma and bronchitis.
However, organic materials in these sensors tend to degrade over time when exposed to moisture and oxygen. This degradation reduces sensor performance and leads to increased electronic waste.
The Incheon team combined two types of polymers: P3HT, which is an organic semiconductor, and PBS, a biodegradable material. They prepared solutions of these polymers using different solvents: either chloroform alone or a mixture of chloroform and dichlorobenzene.
They then applied these solutions onto silicon surfaces to create the sensors. The type of solvent used influenced how the polymers organized themselves. Sensors made with chloroform alone had uneven surfaces and were less stable. In contrast, sensors made with the mixture of chloroform and dichlorobenzene had smooth, even surfaces and worked better, even when they contained a high amount of PBS.
Tests showed that increasing the amount of PBS made the sensors more flexible and more biodegradable in seawater. Both types of sensors became more sensitive to pollutants like NO₂, sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and CO₂. The sensors made with the mixed solvent stayed stable even when they had up to 90% PBS.
Professor Park explained, “Our eco-friendly sensors combine sustainability with high performance. They could be used widely or disposed of safely. This helps reduce electronic waste, especially in natural environments like oceans.”
This research suggests biodegradable sensors could play an important role in future environmental monitoring. They offer a way to protect both public health and the planet.
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