Memristive sensors for pH measure in dry conditions

A large progress in pH sensing with nanowire based ion-sensitive field-effect transistors (ISFETs) has been demonstrated over the years. The electrochemical reactions occurring at the wire surface-to-electrolyte interface play a key role in the detection of ions. In this letter, we show that pH sensing can also be performed on dried samples, through electrical measurements in air with a new kind of memristive sensor. The detection of different concentrations of [H+] is confirmed by both the increased conductance and hysteretic voltage gap of the wires. The observed change in the electrical properties with pH in dry conditions is related to the formation of a wet film at the nanowire surface. Ions from the initial solution are free to move in the final water thin film at the sensing interface with consequent polarization of the NW surface.