Interfacial Engineering of Printable MOF/MXene Heterostructured Inks for High-Performance Wearable Ammonia Sensors

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Wearable health monitoring requires sensitive detection of biomarkers like ammonia (NH3) for conditions such as renal or hepatic distress.
• Current NH3 sensors often struggle with low sensitivity and selectivity in complex breath samples.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a sustainable, low-temperature synthesis for printable MOF/MXene heterostructures for high-performance NH3 sensing.
• To create a wearable sensor for non-invasive, real-time monitoring of trace NH3 in human breath for early disease screening.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized printable and textile-compatible MOF/MXene heterostructured inks using a low-temperature strategy.
• Engineered the interface between MXene and MOF phases to enhance synergistic effects and charge-transfer kinetics.
• Integrated the sensing unit into a wearable wristband with real-time signal processing and wireless transmission.

Main Results:

• Achieved an exceptionally low detection limit of 3 ppb for NH3, surpassing current benchmarks.
• Demonstrated robust synergistic effects between MOF and MXene phases, accelerating charge-transfer.
• The integrated wearable sensor showed performance comparable to commercial sensors.

Conclusions:

• The developed MOF/MXene heterostructure offers a viable approach for sensitive and selective NH3 detection in breath.
• This technology enables non-invasive monitoring for early screening of chronic kidney disease (CKD).
• The synthesis and integration strategy advances functional material development for intelligent wearable diagnostics.