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Publications citing the applications of openQCM (by Novaetech S.r.l.) instruments and accessories in scientific research.
The list of scientific papers published on the most important journals showing the usage of openQCM in several scientific fields, such as thin film deposition, chemical sensors, biological research and biosensors.
Because of the large number of publications, we are reorganizing everything by subject areas. This will take some time. Thank you for your patience
Reichert, Per; Malhotra, Jaskaran Singh; Krishnan, Deepthy; Evli, Sinem; Yamunan, Srihari; Duarte, Clara Davila; Kubus, Mariusz; Sundberg, Jonas
Surface-mounted metal-organic framework for the adsorption and sensing of monoaromatic pollutants in water Journal Article
In: 2025.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: BTEX sensor, Chemical sensing, metal-organic frameworks, openQCM NEXT, QCM-D, Quartz Crystal Microbalance, Water pollution
@article{reichert2025surface,
title = {Surface-mounted metal-organic framework for the adsorption and sensing of monoaromatic pollutants in water},
author = {Per Reichert and Jaskaran Singh Malhotra and Deepthy Krishnan and Sinem Evli and Srihari Yamunan and Clara Davila Duarte and Mariusz Kubus and Jonas Sundberg},
url = {https://chemrxiv.org/engage/chemrxiv/article-details/682c3a413ba0887c33d44494},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv-2025-93k50},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-05-26},
urldate = {2025-05-26},
abstract = {The increase in environmental pollution from industrial and anthropogenic activities, particularly toxic and persistent pollutants, is becoming an increasing threat to our access to clean water. While laboratory-based analytical techniques offer high sensitivity, their cost and time requirements limit spatial and temporal resolution for effective environmental monitoring. This highlights the critical need for technically advanced, yet simple-to-operate sensors suitable for field deployment. Specifically, the detection of water-dissolved pollutants is challenging due to the high propensity of water molecules to interact with sensor materials, obstructing the detection mechanism. One class of highly water-soluble pollutants are benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene isomers (collectively referred to as BTEX). These compounds are prevalent specifically in fossil fuels and are therefore often found in areas surrounding processing and storage facilities. Due to their relatively high water solubility, they have a high propensity to migrate and transport to the groundwater. Porous metal-organic frameworks have shown promise for separation technology, including as analyte-receptors in adsorption-based sensing. We hypothesized that a hydrophobic MOF with pore dimensions similar to the BTEX molecules would selectively partition these analytes from water. In our study, we have specifically investigated UHMOF-100, a material previously shown to be highly water-repellent with narrow pores hypothesized to selectively adsorb non-polar compounds. Bulk adsorption experiments confirmed the ability of UHMOF-100 to rapidly adsorb BTEX from water, demonstrating high mass capacities (up to 402 mg g⁻¹) influenced by a complex interplay of water solubility, molecular size, and guest–host interactions. Building upon this, we developed a method for fabricating robust UHMOF-100 thin films on commercial quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) resonators using a layer-by-layer deposition technique. The sensor morphology, crystallite size and density have been characterized using a combination of imaging, spectroscopic and diffraction techniques. The functionalized QCM sensors successfully detected individual BTEX species spiked in water within the concentration range of 0-50 mg L¹. Quantifiable responses were observed at concentrations as low as 5 mg L⁻¹, with sensitivities ranging from 2.04 to 4.59 Hz / mg L⁻¹. The sensors showed low cross-sensitivity towards more polar environmental contaminants such as phenol and benzoic acid, and a limited response to naphthalene, validating a degree of selective interaction with the target BTEX molecules. Furthermore, the UHMOF-100 films demonstrated both chemical stability in water and mechanical robustness under continuous flow conditions over extended measurement periods. This work presents, to our knowledge, the first example of a MOF-based QCM sensor for the detection of BTEX in water, demonstrating the potential of suitably designed porous materials for addressing challenging aqueous sensing applications.},
keywords = {BTEX sensor, Chemical sensing, metal-organic frameworks, openQCM NEXT, QCM-D, Quartz Crystal Microbalance, Water pollution},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Maity, Tanmoy; Sarkar, Susmita; Kundu, Susmita; Panda, Suvendu; Sarkar, Arighna; Hammad, Raheel; Mandal, Kalyaneswar; Ghosh, Soumya; Mondal, Jagannath; Haldar, Ritesh
Steering diffusion selectivity of chemical isomers within aligned nanochannels of metal-organic framework thin film Journal Article
In: Nature Communications, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 1–9, 2024.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: chemical isomers, Diffusion Selectivity, metal-organic frameworks, Molecular Separation, Nano Channels, openQCM, QCM, Quartz Crystal Microbalance
@article{maity2024steering,
title = {Steering diffusion selectivity of chemical isomers within aligned nanochannels of metal-organic framework thin film},
author = {Tanmoy Maity and Susmita Sarkar and Susmita Kundu and Suvendu Panda and Arighna Sarkar and Raheel Hammad and Kalyaneswar Mandal and Soumya Ghosh and Jagannath Mondal and Ritesh Haldar},
url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-53207-3#citeas},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-53207-3},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-11-08},
urldate = {2024-11-08},
journal = {Nature Communications},
volume = {15},
number = {1},
pages = {1--9},
publisher = {Nature Publishing Group},
abstract = {The movement of molecules (i.e. diffusion) within angstrom-scale pores of porous materials such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and zeolites is influenced by multiple complex factors that can be challenging to assess and manipulate. Nevertheless, understanding and controlling this diffusion phenomenon is crucial for advancing energy-economic membrane-based chemical separation technologies, as well as for heterogeneous catalysis and sensing applications. Through precise assessment of the factors influencing diffusion within a porous metal-organic framework (MOF) thin film, we have developed a chemical strategy to manipulate and reverse chemical isomer diffusion selectivity. In the process of cognizing the molecular diffusion within oriented, angstrom-scale channels of MOF thin film, we have unveiled a dynamic chemical interaction between the adsorbate (chemical isomers) and the MOF using a combination of kinetic mass uptake experiments and molecular simulation. Leveraging the dynamic chemical interactions, we have reversed the haloalkane (positional) isomer diffusion selectivity, forging a chemical pathway to elevate the overall efficacy of membrane-based chemical separation and selective catalytic reactions.},
keywords = {chemical isomers, Diffusion Selectivity, metal-organic frameworks, Molecular Separation, Nano Channels, openQCM, QCM, Quartz Crystal Microbalance},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Malhotra, Jaskaran Singh; Reichert, Per Holger; Sundberg, Jonas
A Quartz Crystal Resonator Modified with a Metal-Organic Framework for Sensing of Benzene, Ethylbenzene, Toluene and Xylenes in Water Proceedings Article
In: 2023 IEEE SENSORS, pp. 1–4, IEEE 2023.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Adsorption, analyte discrimination, BTEX sensor, Harmonic analysis, metal-organic frameworks, openQCM, QCM, Resonant frequency, Sensitivity, sensors, Stability analysis
@inproceedings{malhotra2023quartz,
title = {A Quartz Crystal Resonator Modified with a Metal-Organic Framework for Sensing of Benzene, Ethylbenzene, Toluene and Xylenes in Water},
author = {Jaskaran Singh Malhotra and Per Holger Reichert and Jonas Sundberg},
url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10325196},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1109/SENSORS56945.2023.10325196},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-11-28},
urldate = {2023-11-28},
booktitle = {2023 IEEE SENSORS},
pages = {1--4},
organization = {IEEE},
abstract = {This work describes the use of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) based sensor for gravimetric sensing of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX). A film of a Cu-based metal-organic framework (MOF) capable of BTEX adsorption is deposited on the gold electrode of a quartz resonator (10 MHz). The sensor is operated under constant flow of water, simultaneously measuring frequency shifts in multiple harmonics. Introduction of BTEX compounds in the water shifts the frequency, enabling detection. Analysis of deviation in the 3 rd and 5 th harmonics enables discrimination of response from either of the BTEX molecules. The response time further enables understanding of diffusion kinetics of each molecule into the framework.},
keywords = {Adsorption, analyte discrimination, BTEX sensor, Harmonic analysis, metal-organic frameworks, openQCM, QCM, Resonant frequency, Sensitivity, sensors, Stability analysis},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Malhotra, Jaskaran Singh; Kubus, Mariusz; Pedersen, Kasper Steen; Andersen, Simon Ivar; Sundberg, Jonas
Room-temperature monitoring of CH4 and CO2 using a metal-organic framework-based QCM sensor showing inherent analyte discrimination Journal Article
In: 2023.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: carbon dioxide, CH4, CO2, Dissipation, metal-organic frameworks, methane, openQCM NEXT, QCM, QCM-D, Quartz Crystal Microbalance, sensors
@article{malhotra2023room,
title = {Room-temperature monitoring of CH4 and CO2 using a metal-organic framework-based QCM sensor showing inherent analyte discrimination},
author = {Jaskaran Singh Malhotra and Mariusz Kubus and Kasper Steen Pedersen and Simon Ivar Andersen and Jonas Sundberg},
url = {https://chemrxiv.org/engage/chemrxiv/article-details/646b938eccabde9f6e2fd280},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv-2023-djhp2},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-05-24},
urldate = {2023-05-24},
abstract = {The detection of methane and carbon dioxide is of growing importance due to their negative impact on global warming. This is true both for environmental monitoring, as well as leak detection in industrial processes. Although solid-state sensors are technologically mature, they have limitations that prohibit their use in certain situations, e.g., explosive atmospheres. Thus, there is a need to develop new types of sensor materials. Herein, we demonstrate a simple, low-cost metal-organic framework-based gas leak detection sensor. The system is based on gravimetric sensing using a quartz crystal microbalance. The quartz crystal is functionalized by layer-by-layer growth of a thin metal-organic framework film. This film shows selective uptake of methane or carbon dioxide under atmospheric conditions. The hardware has low cost, simple operation, and theoretically high sensitivity. Overall, the sensor is characterized by simplicity and high robustness. Furthermore, by exploiting the different adsorption kinetics as measured by multiple harmonics analyses, it is possible to discriminate whether the response is due to methane or carbon dioxide. In summary, we demonstrate data relevant towards new applications of metal-organic frameworks and microporous hybrid materials in sensing applications.},
keywords = {carbon dioxide, CH4, CO2, Dissipation, metal-organic frameworks, methane, openQCM NEXT, QCM, QCM-D, Quartz Crystal Microbalance, sensors},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
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