Single-Atom Pt-Functionalized Ti₃C₂T Field-Effect Transistor for Volatile Organic Compound Gas Detection

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Chemical Sensing

Background:

• MXenes exhibit promising electrochemical properties for gas analysis.
• Current MXene-based sensors face challenges like low sensitivity, specificity, and stability.
• Field-effect transistor (FET) gas sensors are crucial for detecting various gases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel synthetic approach for single-atom Pt (Pt SA)-implanted Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets.
• To investigate the enhanced gas sensing performance of Pt SA-Ti3C2Tx in FET gas sensors.
• To elucidate the mechanism behind the improved sensing capabilities.

Main Methods:

• Novel synthesis of single-atom Pt (Pt SA)-implanted Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets.
• Fabrication of FET gas sensors utilizing Pt SA-Ti3C2Tx as the sensing channel.
• Gas sensing performance evaluation for triethylamine (TEA) at ppb levels.
• Mechanism study and density functional theory (DFT) simulations.

Main Results:

• Pt SA-Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets demonstrated significantly enhanced gas sensing performance compared to pristine Ti3C2Tx.
• The sensor achieved high sensitivity and specificity for ppb-level triethylamine (TEA), with a low detection limit of 14 ppb.
• Excellent multicycle sensing performance and stability were observed.
• DFT simulations confirmed that Pt SA enhances chemical sensitization and TEA adsorption.

Conclusions:

• Single-atom Pt implantation is a highly effective strategy to boost MXene-based gas sensor performance.
• The developed Pt SA-Ti3C2Tx sensor shows great potential for sensitive and selective detection of TEA.
• This work opens new avenues for utilizing single-atom catalysts in advanced gas analysis for public health and environmental applications.