Issue 47, 2016

Cubic mesoporous Ag@CN: a high performance humidity sensor

Abstract

The fabrication of highly responsive, rapid response/recovery and durable relative humidity (%RH) sensors that can precisely monitor humidity levels still remains a considerable challenge for realizing the next generation humidity sensing applications. Herein, we report a remarkably sensitive and rapid %RH sensor having a reversible response using a nanocasting route for synthesizing mesoporous g-CN (commonly known as g-C3N4). The 3D replicated cubic mesostructure provides a high surface area thereby increasing the adsorption, transmission of charge carriers and desorption of water molecules across the sensor surfaces. Owing to its unique structure, the mesoporous g-CN functionalized with well dispersed catalytic Ag nanoparticles exhibits excellent sensitivity in the 11–98% RH range while retaining high stability, negligible hysteresis and superior real time %RH detection performances. Compared to conventional resistive sensors based on metal oxides, a rapid response time (3 s) and recovery time (1.4 s) were observed in the 11–98% RH range. Such impressive features originate from the planar morphology of g-CN as well as unique physical affinity and favourable electronic band positions of this material that facilitate water adsorption and charge transportation. Mesoporous g-CN with Ag nanoparticles is demonstrated to provide an effective strategy in designing high performance %RH sensors and show great promise for utilization of mesoporous 2D layered materials in the Internet of Things and next generation humidity sensing applications.

Graphical abstract: Cubic mesoporous Ag@CN: a high performance humidity sensor

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
13 Oct 2016
Accepted
08 Nov 2016
First published
09 Nov 2016

Nanoscale, 2016,8, 19794-19803

Cubic mesoporous Ag@CN: a high performance humidity sensor

V. K. Tomer, N. Thangaraj, S. Gahlot and K. Kailasam, Nanoscale, 2016, 8, 19794 DOI: 10.1039/C6NR08039A

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