New Delhi (thestates.news) | Scientists have developed an advanced ammonia sensing platform capable of detecting harmful ammonia gas at extremely low concentrations while operating at room temperature.
Ammonia is widely used in industries such as fertilizer production, refrigeration, chemical manufacturing, and agriculture. However, accidental exposure to ammonia can cause severe irritation of the eyes, skin, and respiratory system, while prolonged exposure may lead to serious health complications. Continuous and reliable monitoring of ammonia is therefore essential for ensuring workplace safety, environmental protection, and public health.
To address this challenge, researchers at the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru, an autonomous institution of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) designed a highly sensitive gas sensor based on a hybrid vanadium oxide-vanadium sulfide (VOx/VS2) heterostructure.
The sensor was engineered through a controlled surface transformation process that creates abundant active sites for ammonia adsorption while simultaneously enhancing charge transport within the sensing layer. This synergistic combination significantly improves sensing performance, enabling rapid and highly selective detection of ammonia under ambient conditions.(s-pib)
