In₂O₃ Nanoparticles for Trace-Level Isoprene Detection in Simulated Diabetic Breath

Diabetes mellitus, marked by elevated glucose levels in the blood, can be screened through certain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath, with isoprene serving as one of the key biomarkers. This study presents the development of an isoprene sensor utilizing In<sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub>O<sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> nanoparticles as the receptor layer. The device was subjected to varying concentrations of Isoprene, from 10ppm to 0.1ppm. It exhibited a response time of 20 seconds and a recovery time of 185 seconds for 10 ppm isoprene, with a response value of 10.46. The limit of detection was found to be 0.1 ppm and the device was operated at an optimized temperature of 200°C. The sensor’s performance was further assessed in the presence of other volatile organic compounds (VOCs), simulating the exhaled breath, such as acetone, isopropanol, and CO2. Principal component analysis (PCA) was utilized to differentiate the sensor’s reaction to pure isoprene from its response in the presence of these volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Additionally, TCAD simulations were performed to better understand the basic mechanics contributing to the enhanced current at 200°C and to examine the effects of the analyte on the device. Thus, the work proposed a novel resistive sensor for Isoprene detection and preliminary Diabetes screening.