What structural characteristic, likened to Velcro, do MIT researchers use to efficiently capture target gases?
Answer
Extremely high surface area
Researchers, including a team at MIT, are developing advanced sensor materials that utilize microscopic structures resembling Velcro. The engineering principle behind these structures is to achieve an extremely high surface area relative to volume. This massive surface area allows the sensors to efficiently capture and concentrate minute amounts of target volatile organic compounds from the surrounding packaging environment, which is crucial for achieving high sensitivity, especially during the very early stages of spoilage.
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