Highly sensitive, transparent, and flexible gas sensors based on gold nanoparticle decorated carbon nanotubes

We report on a high performance flexible and transparent chemical sensor based on functionalised single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The SWCNT films were spray-deposited on transparent and flexible plastic substrates, and subsequently decorated with Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) providing a facile and cheap fabrication route. The electrical resistance of the films changed remarkably upon exposure to ammonia (NH3), AuNP decoration enhanced sensitivity to 255 ppb (parts-per-billion), one of the lowest reported so far. The reported sensor performance is a huge improvement towards low power consumption and its room temperature operation augers well for use in mobile devices for environmental protection and air quality control. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.