An apparatus is provided for sensing an analyte in a fluid. The apparatus includes a fluid collecting device configured to collect the fluid containing the analyte; a fluid input in fluid communication with the fluid collecting device configured to input the fluid containing the analyte into the fluid collecting device, an analyte interactant in fluid communication with the fluid collecting device, wherein the analyte interactant, when contacted by the analyte, reacts to cause a first change in thermal energy within the fluid collecting device; a modulator that causes a second change in thermal energy; a thermal sensing device comprising at least one pyroelectric device thermally coupled to the fluid collecting device to generate a first signal in response to at least one of the first change in thermal energy and the second change in thermal energy; a control device operatively coupled to the thermal sensing device and the modulator that generates a second signal, wherein the second signal comprises information useful in characterizing the analyte. A related method also is disclosed.

A device is disclosed for detecting at least one chemical compound comprising at least one carbon nanotube with several graphene layers, on which is grafted at least one molecule bearing group G1 capable of reacting with the chemical compound or a precursor of such a group G1. The uses and the method of making such a device is also disclosed.

An apparatus is provided for sensing an analyte in a fluid. The apparatus includes a fluid collecting device configured to collect the fluid containing the analyte; a fluid input in fluid communication with the fluid collecting device configured to input the fluid containing the analyte into the fluid collecting device, an analyte interactant in fluid communication with the fluid collecting device, wherein the analyte interactant, when contacted by the analyte, reacts to cause a first change in thermal energy within the fluid collecting device; a modulator that causes a second change in thermal energy; a thermal sensing device comprising at least one pyroelectric device thermally coupled to the fluid collecting device to generate a first signal in response to at least one of the first change in thermal energy and the second change in thermal energy; a control device operatively coupled to the thermal sensing device and the modulator that generates a second signal, wherein the second signal comprises information useful in characterizing the analyte. A related method also is disclosed.

Disclosed are a colorimetric detection sensor and colorimetric detection method of a cyanide anion (CN.sup.) by etching of gold nanorods. The colorimetric detection sensor and colorimetric detection method use label-free nanorods having no modifier attached to a surface of gold nanorods (AuNRs), wherein the aspect ratio of nanorods, pH condition and/or amount of a surfactant are controlled to carry out selective etching and to cause a change in color only by CN.sup. so that CN.sup. contained or dissolved in poison, water-contaminated environmental samples and legal evidence samples may be detected with ease, and show excellent selectivity, sensitivity and quantitative analyzability to CN.sup. to provide high usefulness.

Disclosed are a colorimetric detection sensor and colorimetric detection method of a cyanide anion (CN.sup.) by etching of gold nanorods. The colorimetric detection sensor and colorimetric detection method use label-free nanorods having no modifier attached to a surface of gold nanorods (AuNRs), wherein the aspect ratio of nanorods, pH condition and/or amount of a surfactant are controlled to carry out selective etching and to cause a change in color only by CN.sup. so that CN.sup. contained or dissolved in poison, water-contaminated environmental samples and legal evidence samples may be detected with ease, and show excellent selectivity, sensitivity and quantitative analyzability to CN.sup. to provide high usefulness.