3D synergistical rGO/Eu(TPyP)(Pc) hybrid aerogel for high-performance NO2 gas sensor with enhanced immunity to humidity

• Published in: Journal of hazardous materials 2020-02, Vol.384, p.121426-121426, Article 121426
• Main Authors: Zhu, Peihua, Li, Shanshan, Zhao, Chuanrui, Zhang, Yan, Yu, Jinghua
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Gas sensor; Immunity to humidity; rGO/Eu(TPyP)(Pc) hybrid aerogel; Self-assembly; Synergy effect
• ISSN: 0304-3894; 1873-3336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121426

[Display omitted] •RGO/Eu(TPyP)(Pc) hybrid aerogel is fabricated via in situ self-assembly method.•The rGO/Eu(TPyP)(Pc) based NO2 gas sensor exhibited superior sensitivity and selectivity at room operating temperature.•The hydrophobic porous structure of aerogel endows the sensor with excellent immunity to high relative humidity.•The remarkable synergy of rGO/Eu(TPyP)(Pc) enhanced gas sensing properties. The prevalence of Internet of Things and portable electronics create an unprecedented demand for the high performance gas sensors. To pursuit such sensor, sandwich-type (phthalocyaninato)(porphyrinato) europium double-decker complex Eu(TPyP)(Pc) [TPyP = meso-tetra(4-pyridyl)porphyrin; Pc = phthalocyanine] was in situ self-assembled on the surface of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) driven by the π–π interaction, forming a 3D synergistical rGO/Eu(TPyP)(Pc) hybrid aerogel. The resulting aerogel not only effectively integrates the gas sensing of Eu(TPyP)(Pc) and good conductivity of rGO, but also exhibited a prominent synergy effect. Ascribed to the attractive properties, the fabricated NO2 gas sensor exhibits superior sensitivity and selectivity in the range of 0.5 to 100 ppm with an extremely low theoretical limit level of detection (80 ppb) at ambient temperature. The response and recovery time of rGO/Eu(TPyP)(Pc) hybrid aerogel based sensor to20 ppm NO2 were 172 and 828 s, respectively. Remarkably, the hydrophobic porous structure of rGO/Eu(TPyP)(Pc) hybrid aerogel endows the prepared sensor with excellent immunity to high relative humidity, which conquered the key technical issue of real application. The present sensor, simultaneously featured with high performance, low-power consumption, and good tolerance to environmental variations, is anticipated to offer the “on-site” and “on-line” measurement tool in real samples.