Graphene oxide as quartz crystal microbalance sensing layers for detection of formaldehyde

GO functionalized QCM resonators were fabricated and explored for HCHO sensing. They have significant response to HCHO, and their sensitivity reaches ca. 22.9 Hz/ppm. They are stable in the sensing characteristics at least up to 100 days. Their response decreases in proportion to the decrease of HCHO concentration, and the liner relationship provides the possibility for quantitative analysis by the GO functionalized QCM resonators. The sensing mechanism of GO functionalized QCM resonators to HCHO was revealed to be an adsorption-desorption process via hydrogen bonding between the GO surface functional groups and HCHO molecules. These GO functionalized QCM resonators may be a candidate for the future development of sensors for HCHO detection. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.