Humidity-Tolerant Chemiresistive Gas Sensors Based on Hydrophobic CeO2/SnO2 Heterostructure Films

The accelerated evolution of the Internet of Things has brought new challenges to the gas sensors, which are required to work persistently under harsh conditions, like high humidity. However, currently, it is quite challenging to solve the hindrance of the trade-off between gas-sensing performance and anti-humidity ability of the chemiresistive gas sensors. Herein, hydrophobic inorganic CeO2/SnO2 heterostructure films were prepared by depositing the CeO2 layers with a thickness of a few nanometers onto the SnO2 film via a magnetron sputtering method. The sensors based on the CeO2/SnO2 heterostructure films demonstrated excellent gas-sensing performance toward trimethylamine (TEA) with high response, wide detection range (0.04-500 ppm), low record detection limit (0.04 ppm), ideal reproducibility, and long-term stability, while concurrently possessing promising anti- humidity ability. A portable, wireless TEA-sensing system containing the CeO2/SnO2 sensor was constructed to realize the real-time monitoring of trace concentration of the volatiles released from a fish. This work provides a novel strategy to prepare advanced chemiresistive gas sensors for humidity-independent detection of harmful gases and vapors and will accelerate their commercialization process in the field of food safety and public health.

Automated summary

This study successfully addresses the trade-off between gas-sensing performance and anti-humidity ability of chemiresistive gas sensors by preparing hydrophobic inorganic CeO2/SnO2 heterostructure films. The sensors based on these films demonstrate excellent gas-sensing performance towards TEA and promising anti-humidity ability.