Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) Professor Kwangwoon Jeong (College of Engineering, Department of Polymer -Nano Science &Technology; Graduate School, Department of Nano Convergence Engineering) said on the 18th that his research team’s PhD candidate, Junhwa Jang, developed a smart chemical sensor that can detect trace acidic vapors in the air using a newly developed two-dimensional nanostructured film, and reported the research results in a leading international journal.

The results of this research were published as a cover article in the latest issue of Small (IF=13.3), a prominent international journal in the field of materials engineering.

As chemical-based industries develop worldwide, the importance of chemical sensors capable of detecting acidic vapors—airborne pollutants—has increased. However, previously developed sensors have been structurally complex, making measurements complicated, costly, and difficult to carry. Consequently, there has been a growing need for chemical sensor technologies that combine simple structures with real-time monitoring capability.

To address this, the research team newly synthesized an organic monomer that undergoes a change in fluorescence through direct reaction with acid molecules. The synthesized monomer was developed into a film-form platform with a large surface area and high-order structure through a self-assembly–photopolymerization–etching process.

Because the fabricated film is cross-linked and its structure is maintained, it can be restored to its original state by simple base treatment, demonstrating its reusability.

In particular, by controlling the molecular orientation, the researchers were able to adjust the direction of the nanochannels formed inside the film and thereby tune its sensitivity to acidic vapors.

This platform can be applied to various sensing systems such as LED chips and gas masks, enabling a simple and immediate-detection smart chemical sensor.

The first author, PhD candidate Junhwa Jang, said, “Fluorescent materials that can detect and respond to acidic vapors in the air are expected to have high applicability and demand in the sensor field. As shown in the paper, fluorescent sensors that sensitively detect acidic vapors in the air allow real-time visual confirmation, and are expected to be used to develop systems that enable immediate responses in actual hazardous situations.”

Meanwhile, this research was carried out with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea’s Basic Research Laboratory Support Program and Mid-Career Researcher Support Program.