{"id":7385,"date":"2020-10-12T11:56:43","date_gmt":"2020-10-12T10:56:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=7385"},"modified":"2020-10-12T11:56:43","modified_gmt":"2020-10-12T10:56:43","slug":"researchers-develop-precise-temperature-sensor-using-mxene","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/researchers-develop-precise-temperature-sensor-using-mxene\/7385\/","title":{"rendered":"Researchers develop precise temperature sensor using MXene"},"content":{"rendered":"
Human cells possess various proteins that act as channels for charged ions. In the skin, certain ion channels rely on heat to drive a flow of ions that generates electrical signals, which we use as temperature sensors of our surroundings.<\/p>\n
Inspired by these sensors, KAUST<\/a> researchers prepared a titanium carbide compound (Ti3C2Tx) known as an MXene. Narrower than a single nanometre, MXene\u2019s multiple layers are covered with negatively charged atoms, such as oxygen or fluorine.<\/p>\n KAUST postdoc Seunghyun Hong, part of the team behind the new temperature sensor, said: \u201cThese groups act as spacers to keep neighbouring nanosheets apart, allowing water molecules to enter the interplanar channels.\u201d<\/p>\n Using techniques such as X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy<\/a>, the team discovered that adding water to the material slightly widened the channels between layers. However, when the material came in to contact with a solution of potassium chloride, these channels were large enough to allow positive potassium ions to move through the MXene and blocked the passage of negative chloride ions.<\/p>\n