Zero-Power, Low-Cost Ultraviolet-C Colorimetric Sensor Using a Gallium Oxide and Reduced Graphene Oxide Hybrid via Photoelectrochemical Reactions

A zero-power, low-cost ultraviolet (UV)-C colorimetric sensor is demonstrated using a gallium oxide and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) hybrid via photoelectrochemical reactions. A wide bandgap semiconductor (WBS) such as gallium oxide with an energy bandgap of 4.9 eV generates electron-hole pairs (EHPs) when exposed under a mercury lamp emitting 254 nm. While the conventional UVC sensors employing WBS convert the generated EHPs into an electrical signal via a solid-state junction device (SSD), our newly proposed UVC sensory system works by converting EHPs into an electrochemical reaction. The electrochemical reaction causes the degradation of a cationic thiazine redox dye, methylene blue (MB) and thereby spontaneously changes its color. As more rGO was hybridized with the gallium oxide, MB degradation was effectively expedited. Thus, the level of MB degradation under UVC can be evaluated as a UVC indicator. Unlike conventional SSD-based UVC sensors, our responsive colorimetric sensor can be applied where needed inexpensively and zero power.