Nanotube with a nose for oxygen
(Illustration: ETH Zurich)
March 11, 2025 – Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich) have developed an affordable sensor that is selective, efficient, and reliable in detecting tiny amounts of oxygen in gas mixtures. The sensor is based on so-called carbon nanotubes. These miniature tubes (carbon nanotubes or CNTs) consist of a rolled-up layer of graphene, typically with a diameter of about one nanometer and a length of several micrometers.
According to ETH Zurich, the patented sensor system shows great promise for the development of low-cost detectors for real-time environmental gas analysis.
The research was published late last year in the journal Advanced Science under the title ‘A Dye-Sensitized Sensor for Oxygen Detection under Visible Light.’
The team is currently working on expanding the concept to measure other gases in addition to oxygen, such as nitrogen-based emissions resulting from over-fertilization and agriculture.
