Drawing WS₂ thermal sensors on paper substrates

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Thermoresistive sensors are crucial for temperature detection.
• Developing low-cost, sensitive, and rapidly responding sensors remains a challenge.
• Tungsten disulfide (WS2) is a layered semiconductor with interesting electronic properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate paper-based thermoresistive sensors utilizing WS2.
• To investigate the thermal sensing capabilities of WS2-on-paper devices.
• To demonstrate the application of these sensors in respiration monitoring.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of WS2 films on paper via mechanical abrasion of WS2 powder.
• Characterization of the WS2 film structure and properties.
• Evaluation of the sensor's temperature dependence and response time.
• Integration of the sensor into a respiration monitoring system.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of interconnected WS2 platelet films on paper through abrasion.
• WS2-on-paper sensors demonstrated strong temperature dependence of resistance due to thermally activated charge carriers.
• The sensors exhibited high thermal sensitivity and fast response times to temperature fluctuations.
• The WS2-on-paper thermal sensor was successfully utilized in a respiration monitoring device.

Conclusions:

• Paper-based WS2 thermoresistive sensors can be effectively fabricated using a simple abrasion method.
• These sensors possess excellent thermal sensitivity and rapid response, making them suitable for temperature-dependent applications.
• The demonstrated use in respiration monitoring highlights the potential of WS2-on-paper sensors for wearable and low-cost health devices.