High performance flexible sensor based on inorganic nanomaterials

In recent years, the rapid development of flexible electronic devices indicates their attractive perspective in various applications where flexibility, space savings, or production constraints limit the serviceability of rigid circuit boards or hand wiring. While sensors, as the important components in such multifunctional devices, also required to be flexible and robust for integration. In addition, with the emergency of smart sensor networks, low cost, low energy consumption and easy-fabrication sensors with various functions are demanded urgently. Compared with the flexible organic electronic sensors, inorganic nanomaterials based sensors with long life-time and the high carrier mobility have been attracting the interest of researchers, and the tremendous progress has been made for developing the flexible, high-performance inorganic materials based sensors. In this article, we review the recent advancements of some important inorganic materials in various sensing applications, including carbon material and some transition metal oxides. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.