Employing Halogen Bonding Interactions in Chemiresistive Gas Sensors

This paper reports the use of halogen bonding interactions for gas-phase detection of pyridine in SWCNT-based chemiresistive sensors with sub-ppm theoretical detection limits. The chemiresistors are prepared by solvent-free ball-milling of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and aryl halide-based selectors, compression into a pellet, and subsequent mechanical abrasion between gold electrodes on paper. The sensing responses reflect halogen bonding trends, with few exceptions. The predominant signal transduction mechanism is likely attributed to swelling of the insulating haloarene matrix.