Ion Jelly: a novel sensing material for gas sensors and electronic noses

Abstract

Although ionic liquids (ILs) are promising materials for electrochemical gas sensors, their practical application is somehow limited since it is difficult to confine a liquid in micro-devices. The gelation of ILs induced by a biopolymer such as gelatin originates quasi-solid materials named Ion Jelly which are dimensionally stable and fairly conductive. In this paper we describe chemoresistive gas sensors having different ion jellies as an active layer and an electronic nose formed by an array of such sensors. The performance of this e-nose was demonstrated by its ability to detect and correctly sort eight common volatile solvents.