Sensors with very low power consumption are required so that they can last a long time without the need to replace the batteries very often. Low power sensors can save significant cost and time incurred in battery replacement, especially in establishments and organizations that span over several buildings, floors and rooms. In this thesis, we investigate the use of the low-power wireless protocol Z-wave for sensors solutions that can last for approximately 10 years. An algorithm was created and we concluded that 10 years on a 480 mAh battery is not possible and the expected years need to be lowered or we need to increase the battery capacity.

In the agri-food industry, carbon dioxide sensors can be used for process control, monitoring quality, and assessing safety. A carbon dioxide sensor was developed using poly aniline boronic acid (PABA) conducting polymer as the electrically conductive region of the sensor for use in the agri-food industry and was demonstrated for use in detecting incipient or ongoing spoilage in stored grain. The developed sensor dynamically detected up to 2455 ppm CO2 concentration levels. The performance of the sensor in measurements of low concentrations of dissolved CO2 was characterized using standard solutions of NAHCO3. The dynamic range for the detection of H2CO3 was 4.91X10-4 to 9.81X10-3 mol L-1. The dc resistance values decreased with increasing CO2 concentration indicating an increase of conductivity due to increase in the amount of protonation. The developed CO2 sensor was evaluated for the influence of temperature (by storing it at – 20°C and 0°C as well as at operating temperatures of +10°C to 55°C) and relative humidity (from 20 to 70%). Temperature dependence of sensor's resistance values were observed possibly due to the change in conduction mechanism at different temperatures. The variation in the resistance with humidity was curvi-linear and repeatable, indicating that humidity has a less pronounced effect on the sensor’s performance. The sensor’s response to changes in CO2 concentrations at various humidity and temperature levels was stable indicating that the sensor can detect CO2 levels under fluctuating environmental conditions. The response of the PABA film to CO2 concentration was not affected by the presence of alcohols and ketones, proving that the developed CO2 sensor is not cross-sensitive to these compounds which may be present in spoiling grain. The sensor packaging components were selected and built in such a way to avoid contamination of the sensing material and the substrate by undesirable components including grain dust and chaff. The developed conducting polymer CO2 sensor exhibited dynamic performance in its response, recovery times, sensitivity, selectivity, stability and response slope when exposed to various CO2 levels inside simulated grain bulk conditions.

In the agri-food industry, carbon dioxide sensors can be used for process control, monitoring quality, and assessing safety. A carbon dioxide sensor was developed using poly aniline boronic acid (PABA) conducting polymer as the electrically conductive region of the sensor for use in the agri-food industry and was demonstrated for use in detecting incipient or ongoing spoilage in stored grain. The developed sensor dynamically detected up to 2455 ppm CO2 concentration levels. The performance of the sensor in measurements of low concentrations of dissolved CO2 was characterized using standard solutions of NAHCO3. The dynamic range for the detection of H2CO3 was 4.91X10-4 to 9.81X10-3 mol L-1. The dc resistance values decreased with increasing CO2 concentration indicating an increase of conductivity due to increase in the amount of protonation. The developed CO2 sensor was evaluated for the influence of temperature (by storing it at – 20°C and 0°C as well as at operating temperatures of +10°C to 55°C) and relative humidity (from 20 to 70%). Temperature dependence of sensor's resistance values were observed possibly due to the change in conduction mechanism at different temperatures. The variation in the resistance with humidity was curvi-linear and repeatable, indicating that humidity has a less pronounced effect on the sensor’s performance. The sensor’s response to changes in CO2 concentrations at various humidity and temperature levels was stable indicating that the sensor can detect CO2 levels under fluctuating environmental conditions. The response of the PABA film to CO2 concentration was not affected by the presence of alcohols and ketones, proving that the developed CO2 sensor is not cross-sensitive to these compounds which may be present in spoiling grain. The sensor packaging components were selected and built in such a way to avoid contamination of the sensing material and the substrate by undesirable components including grain dust and chaff. The developed conducting polymer CO2 sensor exhibited dynamic performance in its response, recovery times, sensitivity, selectivity, stability and response slope when exposed to various CO2 levels inside simulated grain bulk conditions.

The presented dissertation encompasses three distinct investigations into novel complexes with diverse applications. Firstly, a Europium-based complex, K[Eu(hfa)4], exhibits remarkable potential for detecting dissolved CO2 in an ethylene glycol medium, offering a low limit of detection, rapid response times, and high signal-to-noise ratios. This complex demonstrates promise for quantifying CO2 concentrations and finds utility in sugar fermentation monitoring. Secondly, an innovative ratiometric optical sensor, Eu(tta)3([4,4'-(t-bu)2-2,2'-bpy)], showcases exceptional sensitivity and selectivity in detecting aluminum ions, making it suitable for environmental and biological applications. It exhibits reliable quantification in both methanol and aqueous samples, with remarkable accuracy validated by ICP-OES. Lastly, modifications to the Au3Pz3 complex synthesis enable the development of a silver ion sensor, paving the way for detecting silver ion leaching in real-life scenarios, such as silver nanoparticle-embedded bandages. The research extends to the synthesis of silver nanoparticles using various methods and foresees expanded in vitro and in vivo studies. These investigations collectively offer insights into the development of advanced sensing technologies with significant implications for a wide range of practical applications.

Die kürzliche globale COVID-19-Pandemie hat deutlich gezeigt, dass hohe medizinische Kosten eine große Herausforderung für unser Gesundheitssystem darstellen. Daher besteht eine wachsende Nachfrage nach personalisierten tragbaren Geräten zur kontinuierlichen Überwachung des Gesundheitszustands von Menschen durch nicht-invasive Erfassung physiologischer Signale. Diese Dissertation fasst die Forschung zur Laserkarbonisierung als Werkzeug für die Synthese flexibler Gassensoren zusammen und präsentiert die Arbeit in vier Teilen. Der erste Teil stellt ein integriertes zweistufiges Verfahren zur Herstellung von laserstrukturiertem (Stickstoff-dotiertem) Kohlenstoff (LP-NC) ausgehend von molekularen Vorstufen vor. Der zweite Teil demonstriert die Herstellung eines flexiblen Sensors für die Kohlendioxid Erfassung basierend auf der Laserumwandlung einer Adenin-basierten Primärtinte. Die unidirektionale Energieeinwirkung kombiniert mit der tiefenabhängigen Abschwächung des Laserstrahls ergibt eine neuartige geschichtete Sensorheterostruktur mit porösen Transducer- und aktiven Sensorschichten. Dieser auf molekularen Vorläufern basierende Laserkarbonisierungsprozess ermöglicht eine selektive Modifikation der Eigenschaften von gedruckten Kohlenstoffmaterialien. Im dritten Teil wird gezeigt, dass die Imprägnierung von LP-NC mit Molybdäncarbid Nanopartikeln die Ladungsträgerdichte verändert, was wiederum die Empfindlichkeit von LP-NC gegenüber gasförmigen Analyten erhöht. Der letzte Teil erläutert, dass die Leitfähigkeit und die Oberflächeneigenschaften von LP-NC verändert werden können, indem der Originaltinte unterschiedliche Konzentrationen von Zinknitrat zugesetzt werden, um die selektiven Elemente des Sensormaterials zu verändern. Basierend auf diesen Faktoren zeigte die hergestellte LP-NC-basierte Sensorplattform in dieser Studie eine hohe Empfindlichkeit und Selektivität für verschiedene flüchtige organische Verbindungen. / The recent global COVID-19 pandemic clearly displayed that the high costs of medical care on top of an aging population bring great challenges to our health systems. As a result, the demand for personalized wearable devices to continuously monitor the health status of individuals by non-invasive detection of physiological signals, thereby providing sufficient information for health monitoring and even preliminary medical diagnosis, is growing. This dissertation summarizes my research on laser-carbonization as a tool for the synthesis of functional materials for flexible gas sensors. The whole work is divided into four parts. The first part presents an integrated two-step approach starting from molecular precursor to prepare laser-patterned (nitrogen-doped) carbon (LP-NC). The second part shows the fabrication of a flexible LP-NC sensor architecture for room-temperature sensing of carbon dioxide via laser conversion of an adenine-based primary ink. By the unidirectional energy impact in conjunction with depth-dependent attenuation of the laser beam, a novel layered sensor heterostructure with a porous transducer and an active sensor layer is formed. This molecular precursor-based laser carbonization method enables the modification of printed carbon materials. In the third part, it is shown that impregnation of LP-NC with molybdenum carbide nanoparticle alters the charge carrier density, which, in turn, increases the sensitivity of LP-NC towards gaseous analytes. The last part explains that the electrical conductivity and surface properties of LP-NC can be modified by adding different concentrations of zinc nitrate into the primary ink to add selectivity elements to the sensor materials. Based on these factors, the LP-NC-based sensor platforms prepared in this study exhibited high sensitivity and selectivity for different volatile organic compounds.