Adaptive MoS₂-based interface boosts ion sensing stability and accuracy

Lisa Lock
scientific editor

Robert Egan
associate editor

A research team led by Professor Huang Xingjiu at the Hefei Institutes of 鶹Ժical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a highly stable adaptive integrated interface for ion sensing. The was published as an inside front cover article in Advanced Materials.
All-solid-state ion-selective electrode serves as a fundamental component in the ion sensing of intelligent biological and chemical sensors. While the researchers had previously developed several transducer materials with a sandwich-type interface to detect common ions, the performance of such sensors was often limited by interface material and structure.
To overcome these challenges, the team introduced a novel interface using lipophilic molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) regulated by cetyltrimethylammonium (CTA⁺). This structure enables spatiotemporal adaptive integration—assembling single-piece sensing layers atop efficient transduction layers.
Electrochemical simulations confirmed the superior stability of the new interface, demonstrating high charge transfer efficiency and low diffusion current. X-ray Absorption Fine Structure analysis revealed a mixed-capacitance mechanism driven by TFPB⁻ anion adsorption.
When applied to cadmium ion (Cd²⁺) detection, the sensor exhibited excellent stability and maintained high accuracy in real-world testing scenarios, including industrial wastewater environments.
The interface was successfully extended to sensors for detecting a range of ions, including K⁺, Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, and Cu²⁺. All showed near-Nernstian responses with significantly enhanced stability.
This work provides a valuable strategy for designing next-generation high-performance ion sensors.
More information: Xin Cai et al, Generalized Adaptive Cation‐Selective Interfaces Exhibiting High Stability: Integrating Transduction Materials and Uniform Ion‐Selective Membranes via One‐Step Fabrication, Advanced Materials (2025).
Journal information: Advanced Materials
Provided by Chinese Academy of Sciences