US Scientists develop Sensors based on Carbon Nanotubes

RNCOS: A team of scientists from Motorola Labs and Arizona State University is said to have developed carbon nanotubes based sensors. The new devices successfully detected heavy metal ions’ presence in water caused by parts per trillion levels.

Specifically, researchers said that they had developed a method to apply peptides to single walled nanotubes of carbon in field effect transistors. This is a rather common sensor platform for all types of applications. Heavy metal ions is checked in water, however, the platform may be applied to various other areas for sensing toxic chemicals propagating in the air, or can be used in medicine as biosensors.

Nanosensor market, which was at $238.45Mn in 2005, is likely to reach to $300Mn towards the end of 2006. The market will almost touch a mark of $592 million worldwide by 2009,. The World Nanotechnology Market (2006) Publ 20060916