DIVINE: Design theory-based nanostructured leaf-vein networks for selective VOC sensing. Funded by EPSRC.

Indoor air pollution in the UK is exacerbated by the emission of non-methane volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as formaldehyde, toluene, and phthalates. Current environmental sensors, including those commercialised by major semiconductor integrated device manufacturers, cannot specifically detect these toxic gases at an acceptable concentration level and are unable to provide any helpful preventive guidance. Crucially, these sensors can only detect the total concentration of VOCs (TVOCs), i.e., the total concentration of a subset of airborne VOCs present in the air, as an overall measure of indoor air quality, and generally, lack selectivity. In the DIVINE project, we are designing material building blocks engineered to offer a maximum and selective response to target gas molecules to address this challenge. Through solution-phase additive manufacturing techniques, we will create large-scale self-assembly of these building blocks to obtain a nano- and micro-level structure mimicking the hierarchy of length scales found in xylems and leaf veins in plants. Our approach will therefore allow highly optimum through-flow of gases to the engineered building blocks, providing a fast, sensitive and selective response to these toxic gases.

Dr Karthik Kannan (University of Warwick) 

• Role: Sensor testing and characterization
• Microsensors and Bioelectronics Laboratory

• 20/01/2023 - Update meeting (Virtual - MS Teams)
• 03/03/2023 - Update meeting (Virtual - MS Teams)
• 06/04/2023 - Update Meeting (Virtual - MS Teams)
• 26/05/2023 - In person meeting: The University of Warwick