TEHRAN, Dec. 27 – New gas sensors made of nano-structured titanium dioxide (TiO2) are capable of detecting carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide even at low temperatures, an Iranian researcher said of new thin layer gas detection device built at Sharif Technical University.

By employing Sol-Gel method, a coating with minimum amount of ‘volatile’ polymers is applied to a very thin surface of TiO2, the process leads to the increases in its sensitivity.

The reduced time of detection is also another application of this design, ISNA quoted project director Mohamadreza Mohamadi as saying on Wednesday.

The PhD graduate of Material Engineering from Sharif also credited young researchers at the university with 1.5 year of steady work to accomplish the task. “Major part of the project was done at Sharif, and the remaining research was carried out at Cambridge University,” the director said, adding that the device (sensors) may reach semi or full industrial production if necessary time and budget were available.

The sol-gel is a relatively inexpensive but effective method. The organic and inorganic polymer(s) prepared through, offers unique quality to the obtained nano-structured hybrid.