Increasing Functionality of Tin Oxide Nanowires

Recently it has been shown that simple gases can be detected using tin oxide nanowires. Our goal is to expand the number of chemicals that can be detected with tin oxide nanowires. By using silanes, which can couple with organic compounds we can demonstrate an increase in the number of detectable compunds. To make use of the silanes' ability for coupling we will bind a layer of silanes onto the surface of a bare tin oxide nanowire. This layer will be able to interact with more chemicals than a bare tin oxide nanowire. The increased interaction will allow more chemicals to be detected. The increase in the number of detectable chemicals has many positive benefits in the bio-warfare and medical fields.