Gas Sensing with Solar Cells: The Case of NH3 Detection through Nanocarbon/Silicon Hybrid Heterojunctions

Photovoltaic (PV) cells based on single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)/silicon (Si) and multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/Si junctions were tested under exposure to NH3 in the 0–21 ppm concentration range. The PV cell parameters remarkably changed upon NH3 exposure, suggesting that these junctions...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2020-11, Vol.10 (11), p.2303
Main Authors: Drera, Giovanni, Freddi, Sonia, Freddi, Tiziano, De Poli, Andrea, Pagliara, Stefania, De Crescenzi, Maurizio, Castrucci, Paola, Sangaletti, Luigi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ammonia
carbon nanotubes
Cellulose
CNT/Si heterojunctions
Environmental changes
Exposure
gas sensing
Gas sensors
Gases
Heterojunctions
Maximum power
Multi wall carbon nanotubes
NH3
Open circuit voltage
Parameters
Photovoltaic cells
Photovoltaics
Power
PV cells
Room temperature
Sensors
Silicon
Silicon wafers
Single wall carbon nanotubes
Solar cells
VOCs
Volatile organic compounds
Voltage
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Summary:Photovoltaic (PV) cells based on single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)/silicon (Si) and multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/Si junctions were tested under exposure to NH3 in the 0–21 ppm concentration range. The PV cell parameters remarkably changed upon NH3 exposure, suggesting that these junctions, while being operated as PV cells, can react to changes in the environment, thereby acting as NH3 gas sensors. Indeed, by choosing the open-circuit voltage, VOC, parameter as read-out, it was found that these cells behaved as gas sensors, operating at room temperature with a response higher than chemiresistors developed on the same layers. The sensitivity was further increased when the whole current–voltage (I–V) curve was collected and the maximum power values were tracked upon NH3 exposure.
ISSN:2079-4991
2079-4991
DOI:10.3390/nano10112303