3rd International Conference on
Sensors and Electronic Instrumentation
Scientific Program
Keynote Session:
Title: Fabrication and characterization of ZnO and TiO2 nanostructured films for sensors
Biography:
Bashir Ahmmad has completed his Ph.D. from Kagoshima University, Japan. Currently, he is an associate professor at the Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Yamagata University, Japan. His research interests include nanomaterials, thin-film, solar-hydrogen, and solar cells. He has published more than 70 technical papers in reputed journals. He had been the guest editor of the International Journal of Photoenergy and Energies in 2014 and 2020, respectively. Presently, he is serving as an editorial board member of Energies, and a technical committee member of Component Parts and Materials (CPM) of the IEICE society in Japan.
Abstract:
In recent years, metal oxide nanoparticles have attracted substantial interest because of their unique optical, magnetic, and electronic properties, which are different from their bulk and highly dependent on their sizes, shape, orientation, and crystallinities. Among various transition metal oxide nanostructures, ZnO and TiO2 are particularly important due to their positive qualities, such as low cost, good stability, nontoxicity, and their applications in electronic devices (such as, sensors, solar cell), catalysis, and adsorption. The one-dimensional and porous nanostructured films of metal oxides with very large internal surfaces offer a number of fascinating features that are advantageous in designing optoelectronic devices and sensors. In this work, we report the synthesis and characterization of self-aligned nanostructured thin films of ZnO and TiO2 by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and anodization methods, respectively. The as-prepared films were characterized by XRD, SEM, and XPS analysis. The results show that deposition temperature and time have drastic effects on the crystallinity and morphology of the nanostructured ZnO films. At 400~450°C, compact platelike structures of ZnO are obtained which are perpendicular to the substrate (Figure 1a). Keeping the deposition temperature constant at 400°C, change in deposition time shows that a minimum of 10 minutes is necessary for the formation of whisker- shaped nanostructures. After 120 min of deposition time, flower-like nanostructures are obtained. On the other hand, films of TiO2 nanotube array (TNA) are markedly affected by the composition of electrolytes that are used during the anodization process. When an electrolyte solution of ethylene glycol and NH4F was used, close- packed nanotube arrays were formed and when a solution of diethylene glycol and HF is used, individually separated nanotubes arrays (Figure 1b) are obtained. The as-prepared TNA films are amorphous but the highly crystallized anatase phase can be obtained by low-temperature hydrothermal treatment. These films are expected to show high performances in gas sensors or other electronic devices (such as solar cells, photoelectrochemical hydrogen production systems). Further research is underway in our lab.
Oral Session 1:
- Acoustic wave Sensors | Radiation sensor | Biosensor
Title: Modified optical fiber sensor for dangerous chemical detection
Biography:
Ahmed Lateef khalaf received his B.Sc Eng. degree (Control and Systems Engineering) from University of Technology, Iraq (2001) and M.Sc. Eng, degree (Computer Engineering) from Middle Technical University, Iraq (2008). He did his PhD research at Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia, (2018) in the area of optical sensor based on nanomaterials for chemical sensing applications. Currently, he is a senior lecturer at the Department of Computer Engineering Techniques and Director of Scientific Division, Al-Ma’moon University College. His main research interests are fiber optics sensors, optical chemical sensors, nanomaterials, and computer engineering.
Abstract:
Gaseous pollutants such as Ammonia are ubiquitous in daily human activities and widely used in many applications. It is extremely toxic, explosive, flammable and corrosive in certain conditions. The inhalation of ammonia is deadly. Many fatal accidents are reported annually due to the ammonia leakages. Liquid pollutants like Ethanol (C2H5OH), is a volatile organic compound (VOC) that is commonly used in the food, beverage, fuel and pharmaceutical industries. Ethanol is extremely flammable and may explode upon mixtures with air or in a fire. Exposure to high concentrations of ethanol may cause intoxication, irritation to the skin and inflammation of the nasal mucous membrane. Common gas and liquid detectors are electrical based. Although these sensors attain high sensitivity, localized electrical sensors suffer from drawbacks that include prone to EMI, poor selectivity, high operating temperature (100 - 300°C), and limited environment. Optical fiber sensors present advantages in certain aspects as compared with electrical sensor, such as they are Lightweight, Immune to electromagnetic interference (EMI), Suitable for volatile & flammable environment, suitable for remote monitoring system (approx. 3 km), room temperature operation, energy saving, competitive cost, high sensitivity and selectivity, and fast response and recovery.
Title: Design and development of an electrochemical sensing device for heavy metals detection
Biography:
Antonio Fotia was born in Reggio Calabria, Italy in 1993. He received the M.S. degree in Environmental and Territorial Engineering from University of Reggio Calabria. Actually, he is Ph.D. student at the University of Reggio Calabria, and his research interests include the development, the synthesis and the characterization of nanostructured materials for energy and sensing applications and the development of portable instrument for test sensing.
Abstract:
Heavy metals are among the main causes of water pollution. They can enter water supply mostly by industrial liquid waste, determining high risk for both the human and the environmental health. Indeed, heavy metals are dangerous since their bioaccumulation can cause important diseases, such as dysfunction of the central nervous system and damage to the blood composition. Several methods for the detection of heavy metals in water have been developed and many of them are expensive and generally require long time analysis. In these regards, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) could be an alternative measurement technique. Moreover, it could be easily incorporated in low-cost sensors for trace metal analysis. The present work is focused on the development of a portable electrochemical sensing device for the detection of heavy metals in water, able to capture in a highly efficient, selective and not reversible way metallic ions. Therefore, electrochemical techniques combined with electrospun nanofibers has been envisaged as a valid solution. As known, nanofibers are characterized by outstanding properties, such as high porosity, low density and large surface area to volume ratio, making them a suitable substrate for sensing applications. In addition, they can be functionalized and doped in order to tailor their properties. In particular, conducting nanofibers were obtain by the electrospinning process through a mixture of polyaniline (PANI) blended with polyvinylacethate (PVAc). EIS measurement were carried out by AMEL 7050 galvanostatic/potentiostatic coupled with AMEL 7200 frequency response analyzer, with three electrodes configurations. Different solution containing lead, thallium, cadmium or chromium, have been tested by EIS measurement. Preliminary experiments showed promising results regarding the electrochemical sensitivity and the selectivity of electrospun nanofibers for heavy metals detection. The implementation of a portable device based on STM32board with a specific frequency range of operation was also considered.
Title: Image Creation for Geologic Analysis and Photo-interpretation
Biography:
Dave Koger began his remote sensing career with a company that designed analog and computer-based image analysis systems. He developed applications and eventually moved on to do applied and basic research at the Center for Remote Sensing and Energy Research at TCU. Koger chaired a non-profit that performed cooperative, pre-competitive, applied R&D on emerging satellites and airborne scanners. He served on program committees for international conferences on Remote Sensing for Exploration Geology and for Precision Agriculture. He reported to NOAA about what the next generation of Landsat satellites should be, contain, and do. Koger has studied areas all over the globe and conducted a satellite photogeology study of Nebraska. Since that work was delivered, all of the ten earthquakes that registered 3.0 and above on the Richter scale have coincided with features mapped in the work he delivered. He has performed many projects for government agencies, including several for the DOE and CO2 sequestration.
Abstract:
Satellites and aerial platforms provide the information that solve a broad range of problems. Every weather condition, i.e. seasons, climates, sun angles, wet or dry, can be seen in the 50+ year archive. There are an unbelievable number of uses. Exploring for oil, mineral and water involves finding geological structures and geochemical anomalies, planning seismic surveys, avoiding surface damages and documenting pre-existing conditions. Satellites also spot methane leakage and monitor progress being made by our subcontractors anywhere on the globe. Micro-plastics suppress the ocean's surface roughness in the same way that natural—and man-made—oil slicks do, which makes them "visible" to satellites; habitat monitoring requires data that span large timeframes; fishing is better when water quality, sediment loads, and the convergence of ocean currents are known. Satellite data are critical to predict landslides, for engineering geology projects, illegal logging, crop yield prediction, and tracking events, like the growing threat from tick migration, as no other tool can. Archaeologists find ancient, buried structures. Expert witness cases are supported with locating wildfire ignition sites, damages to crops, livestock, outbuildings, ponds, trees, and soil loss. This aids a robust defense or supports the wisdom of settling out of court. Material inventories, improvements to facilities, and buried environmental damages are other cases. Remote sensing data have three attributes: spatial resolution, spectral resolution, and points in time. They include visible light (ROYGBIV) and many wavelengths beyond human perception, e.g. infrared, thermal, and "active" sensors that include lidar and radar. The data are measured and quantifiable. They present an augmented—not virtual—reality. They are not a model: they are an array of information points, interpreted visually and, lately, with AI. Scientific results will be even better as even cleaner and sharper data are on the horizon, including more hyperspectral sources and more frequent revisits.
