An ultrafast responsive NO₂ gas sensor based on a hydrogen-bonded organic framework material

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Sensing
• Organic Electronics

Background:

• Development of advanced gas sensors is crucial for environmental monitoring and industrial safety.
• Organic semiconductors offer tunable properties for selective gas detection applications.
• Hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) present unique structural and chemical characteristics for material design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel organic semiconductor gas sensor utilizing a porphyrin-based hydrogen-bonded organic framework (HOF).
• To investigate the gas sensing performance, particularly for nitrogen dioxide (NO2), of the fabricated HOF-based sensor.
• To evaluate the sensor's response/recovery rates, limit of detection, sensitivity, reproducibility, and stability.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a porphyrin-based hydrogen-bonded organic framework (HOF).
• Fabrication of an organic semiconductor gas sensor device using the HOF material.
• Characterization of the sensor's performance for NO2 detection, including response/recovery times, limit of detection, sensitivity, and stability testing at room temperature.

Main Results:

• The HOF-based sensor demonstrated selective NO2 sensing performance.
• Ultra-fast response and recovery rates were achieved (17.6 s/15.4 s for 100 ppb NO2).
• A low limit of detection (< 40 ppb) was achieved, along with high sensitivity, good reproducibility, and long-term stability at room temperature.

Conclusions:

• Porphyrin-based HOFs are promising materials for developing high-performance organic semiconductor gas sensors.
• The developed HOF-based sensor offers a new potential pathway for selective and rapid NO2 detection.
• This study highlights the potential of HOFs in gas sensing technologies, opening new avenues for sensor design.