Mechanical Drawing of Gas Sensors on Paper

1. Dr. Katherine A. Mirica, 
2. Jonathan G. Weis,
3. Dr. Jan M. Schnorr, 
4. Dr. Birgit Esser, 
5. Prof. Dr. Timothy M. Swager^*

Article first published online: 4 OCT 2012

DOI: 10.1002/anie.201206069

Pencil it in: Mechanical abrasion of compressed single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) on the surface of paper produces sensors capable of detecting NH₃ gas at sub-ppm concentrations. This method of fabrication is simple, inexpensive, and entirely solvent-free, and avoids difficulties arising from the inherent instability of many SWCNT dispersions.