Artificial olfactory sensor based on single metal atom oxide for intelligent nanoelectronics

Abstract

Gas sensors for flammable and explosive H2 and CO based on artificial olfactory receptor to operate at room temperature (RT) is an imperious pre-requisite for realizing artificial intelligent (AI) olfaction. To tailor the H2 and CO sensing abilities, herein, artificial olfactory receptors based on single metal (Fe, Ni) atom oxide (SMAO) anchored on DNA coordinated graphene is introduced. In this design, DNA strands facilitate homogeneous decoration of single atoms bio-mimicking the natural olfactory receptor, meanwhile prohibit the stacking of graphene layers. The designed olfactory sensors demonstrate outstanding sensing performances (complete recovery within 50 s to 200–1000 ppm H2 and CO) at RT with durability for at least half a year. Furthermore, H2 and CO were proactively discriminated and recognized via principal component analysis with the designed DG-Fe and DG-Ni devices. Innovatively, in-situ XPS analysis and the corresponding DFT simulation suggest that the great H2 and CO sensing properties emerges from the oxidized surface of SMAO and the oxygen vacancies formed in SMAO during H2/CO adsorption. The proposed sensing mechanism provides insights for the development of robust RT gas sensors. The novel biomimetic design of DNA-graphene anchoring SMAO is very promising for intelligent nanoelectronics in the AI olfaction field.