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New Sensors Based on Inorganic Material
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New Sensors Based on Inorganic Material

A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Chemical Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 June 2025) | Viewed by 4385

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Zheng Jiao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
Interests: materials and technologies for pollutant treatment; environmental pollutant detection materials and sensors
Dr. Xue-Chun Yang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
Interests: light excited room temperature gas sensor
Prof. Dr. Jingtai Zhao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Information Materials, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, China
Interests: design, characterization, and analysis of inorganic materials
Dr. Yun Guo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
Interests: inorganic material based gas sensor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are delighted to announce the Special Issue on new sensors based on inorganic materials, focusing on the application and development of inorganic materials (particularly micron and nano inorganic materials) in the field of sensors. With the development of materials science and nano synthesis technology, micron and nano inorganic materials exhibit superior electrical, optical, and thermal properties, enabling higher sensitivity, selectivity, and response speed. On this basis, by innovating modification methods, optimizing characterization methods, expanding detection scenarios, conducting in-depth research on sensing principles, exploring new structures of sensors, and achieving high integration, not only can the advancement of sensing technology be promoted, but it will also have a profound impact on the development of materials science and the advancement of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. As research deepens and technology progresses, the application scenarios for inorganic material sensors are expected to become more diverse, and their commercial potential and societal value are equally promising.

In this Special Issue, we eagerly seek novel research and applications that support the development of micro/nano inorganic material-based sensors. We welcome submissions that describe new perspectives, innovative methods, and impactful applications. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • micron inorganic materials and nano inorganic materials;
  • surface modification and characterization;
  • multifunctional sensors;
  • sensing principles and technologies;
  • design, manufacturing, and data analysis of new sensors;
  • next-generation new sensors and their integrations

Prof. Dr. Zheng Jiao
Dr. Xue-Chun Yang
Prof. Dr. Jingtai Zhao
Dr. Yun Guo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sensors is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • micron inorganic materials and nano inorganic materials
  • surface modification and characterization
  • multifunctional sensors
  • sensing principles and technologies
  • design, manufacturing, and data analysis of new sensors
  • next-generation new sensors and their integrations

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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27 pages, 6433 KiB  
Article
Sensor-Integrated Inverse Design of Sustainable Food Packaging Materials via Generative Adversarial Networks
by Yang Liu, Lanting Guo, Xiaoyu Hu and Mengjie Zhou
Sensors 2025, 25(11), 3320; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25113320 - 25 May 2025
Viewed by 370
Abstract
This study introduces a novel framework for the inverse design of sustainable food packaging materials using generative adversarial networks (GANs) and the recently released OMat24 dataset containing 110 million DFT-calculated inorganic material structures. Our approach transforms traditional material discovery paradigms by enabling end-to-end [...] Read more.
This study introduces a novel framework for the inverse design of sustainable food packaging materials using generative adversarial networks (GANs) and the recently released OMat24 dataset containing 110 million DFT-calculated inorganic material structures. Our approach transforms traditional material discovery paradigms by enabling end-to-end design from desired performance metrics to material composition. We developed a GAN-driven inverse design architecture specifically optimized for food packaging applications, integrating sensor-derived data on critical constraints such as biodegradability and barrier properties directly into the generative process. This integration occurs at three levels: (1) sensor-measured properties define conditioning targets for the GAN, (2) sensor data train the property prediction network, and (3) sensor-based characterization validates generated materials. An enhanced EquiformerV2 graph neural network was employed to accurately predict the formation energy, stability, and sensor-measurable properties of candidate materials. The model achieved a mean absolute error of 12 meV/atom for formation energy on the OMat24 test set (25% improvement over baseline models), while predictions of sensor-measured functional properties reached R2 values of 0.84–0.89 through the integration of experimental measurements and physics-based proxy models. The framework successfully generated over 100 theoretically viable candidate materials, with 20% exhibiting superior barrier properties and controlled degradation characteristics. Our computational approach demonstrated a 20–100× acceleration in screening efficiency compared to traditional DFT calculations while maintaining high accuracy. This work presents a significant advancement in computational materials discovery for sustainable packaging applications, offering a promising pathway to address the urgent global challenges of food waste and plastic pollution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Sensors Based on Inorganic Material)
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13 pages, 4498 KiB  
Article
BaCo0.06Bi0.94O3-Doped NiZn Ferrites for High Frequency Low Loss Current Sensors: LTCC Sintering and Magnetic Properties
by Shao-Pu Jiang, Chang-Lai Yuan, Wei Liu, Lin Li, Huan Li and Jing-Tai Zhao
Sensors 2025, 25(9), 2731; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25092731 - 25 Apr 2025
Viewed by 346
Abstract
In order to meet the demand for high-frequency current sensors in 5G communication and new energy fields, there is an urgent need to develop high-performance nickel-zinc ferrite-based co-fired ceramic magnetic cores. In this study, a nickel-zinc ferrite core based on low temperature co-fired [...] Read more.
In order to meet the demand for high-frequency current sensors in 5G communication and new energy fields, there is an urgent need to develop high-performance nickel-zinc ferrite-based co-fired ceramic magnetic cores. In this study, a nickel-zinc ferrite core based on low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) technology was developed. The regulation mechanism of BaCo0.06Bi0.94O3 doping on the low-temperature sintering characteristics of NiZn ferrites was systematically investigated. The results show that the introduction of BaCo0.06Bi0.94O3 reduces the sintering temperature to 900 °C and significantly improves the density and grain uniformity of ceramics. When the doping amount is 0.75 wt%, the sample exhibits the lowest coercivity of 35.61 Oe and the following optimal soft magnetic properties: initial permeability of 73.74 (at a frequency of 1 MHz) and quality factor of 19.64 (at a frequency of 1 MHz). The highest saturation magnetization reaches 66.07 emu/g at 1 wt% doping. The results show that BaCo0.06Bi0.94O3 doping can regulate the grain boundary liquid phase distribution and modulate the magnetocrystalline anisotropy, which provides an experimental basis and optimization strategy for the application of LTCC technology in high-frequency current sensors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Sensors Based on Inorganic Material)
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19 pages, 4621 KiB  
Article
Highly Selective Room-Temperature Blue LED-Enhanced NO2 Gas Sensors Based on ZnO-MoS2-TiO2 Heterostructures
by Soraya Y. Flores, Elluz Pacheco, Carlos Malca, Xiaoyan Peng, Yihua Chen, Badi Zhou, Dalice M. Pinero, Liz M. Diaz-Vazquez, Andrew F. Zhou and Peter X. Feng
Sensors 2025, 25(6), 1781; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25061781 - 13 Mar 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1311
Abstract
This study presents the fabrication and characterization of highly selective, room-temperature gas sensors based on ternary zinc oxide–molybdenum disulfide–titanium dioxide (ZnO-MoS2-TiO2) nanoheterostructures. Integrating two-dimensional (2D) MoS2 with oxide nano materials synergistically combines their unique properties, significantly enhancing gas [...] Read more.
This study presents the fabrication and characterization of highly selective, room-temperature gas sensors based on ternary zinc oxide–molybdenum disulfide–titanium dioxide (ZnO-MoS2-TiO2) nanoheterostructures. Integrating two-dimensional (2D) MoS2 with oxide nano materials synergistically combines their unique properties, significantly enhancing gas sensing performance. Comprehensive structural and chemical analyses, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), confirmed the successful synthesis and composition of the ternary nanoheterostructures. The sensors demonstrated excellent selectivity in detecting low concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) among target gases such as ammonia (NH3), methane (CH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2) at room temperature, achieving up to 58% sensitivity at 4 ppm and 6% at 0.1 ppm for NO2. The prototypes demonstrated outstanding selectivity and a short response time of approximately 0.51 min. The impact of light-assisted enhancement was examined under 1 mW/cm2 weak ultraviolet (UV), blue, yellow, and red light-emitting diode (LED) illuminations, with the blue LED proving to deliver the highest sensor responsiveness. These results position ternary ZnO-MoS2-TiO2 nanoheterostructures as highly sensitive and selective room-temperature NO2 gas sensors that are suitable for applications in environmental monitoring, public health, and industrial processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Sensors Based on Inorganic Material)
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16 pages, 3734 KiB  
Article
Ultra-Sensitive Gas Sensor Based on CDs@ZnO
by Shuo Xiao, Zheng Jiao and Xuechun Yang
Sensors 2025, 25(3), 905; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25030905 - 2 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1419
Abstract
Ethylene glycol (EG) is a colorless and odorless organic compound, which is an important industrial raw material but harmful to the environment and human health. Thus, it is necessary to develop high-performance sensing materials to monitor EG gas. Herein, sea urchin-shaped ZnO was [...] Read more.
Ethylene glycol (EG) is a colorless and odorless organic compound, which is an important industrial raw material but harmful to the environment and human health. Thus, it is necessary to develop high-performance sensing materials to monitor EG gas. Herein, sea urchin-shaped ZnO was successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal method. Subsequently, a series of carbon dot (CD)-modified ZnO nanocomposites were successfully prepared using a simple mechanical grinding method. The prepared CDs@ZnO-1 sensor exhibits an excellent response to EG gas, with a response value of 1356.89 to 100 ppm EG at the optimal operating temperature (220 °C). After five cycles of detection, the sensor can still maintain a stable response. The enhanced sensing performance of EG can be attributed to rich oxygen vacancies that are generated on the surface of CDs@ZnO, and the heterojunction formed between p-type CDs and n-type ZnO. This study provides inspiration for the development of high-response semiconductor metal oxide sensors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Sensors Based on Inorganic Material)
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Review

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25 pages, 5203 KiB  
Review
Oxide and Hydrogel Inverse Opals and Their Applications as Physical, Chemical and Biological Sensors
by Peter Hutchison, Peter Kingshott and Aimin Yu
Sensors 2025, 25(11), 3370; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25113370 - 27 May 2025
Viewed by 540
Abstract
Inverse opal (IO) structures based on photonic colloidal crystal (PCC) templates are types of materials that possess unique optical properties due to their ordered arrays. These materials have the ability to manipulate the propagation of light, producing unique reflection spectra and structural colours. [...] Read more.
Inverse opal (IO) structures based on photonic colloidal crystal (PCC) templates are types of materials that possess unique optical properties due to their ordered arrays. These materials have the ability to manipulate the propagation of light, producing unique reflection spectra and structural colours. Due to these properties, IOs have been used as optical sensors for various applications such as the detection of physical, chemical, and biological entities. This review begins with a brief introduction of PCCs, IOs and their preparation procedures. The recent advancements in the applications of IOs for sensing temperature, pH, humidity, chemical compounds (such as organic solvents and heavy metal ions), and biological entities (such as tumour cells, viruses and bacteria) are then discussed in detail. The review also explores strategies and techniques aimed at enhancing the sensitivity and lowering the limit of detection of IO-based sensors. Finally, it addresses the current challenges, existing limitations, and prospective future directions in the development and deployment of IO-based sensors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Sensors Based on Inorganic Material)
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