A room-temperature formaldehyde sensor based on hematite for breast cancer diagnosis

Formaldehyde (HCHO) is regarded as one kind of indoor pollutant. Additionally, HCHO serves as a biomarker in the exhaled breath of breast cancer patients. Early warning and management are crucial for the environment and human health. Thus, we have elaborately synthesized hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) employing a facet-engineering hydrothermal strategy using the fine-tuned solvent composition, with special attention to the effect of different exposed surfaces on HCHO detection. The spindle-like α-Fe₂O₃ nanocrystals with the (012) facet exposed exhibited impressively higher response towards HCHO at room temperature than that of the disk-like α-Fe₂O₃ with mainly the (001) facet exposed, partly due to the abundant vacancy oxygen and adsorbed oxygen of high-index facets of α-Fe₂O₃. More importantly, our experimental results coincide with theoretical calculations. Overall, the surface engineering strategy could be extended to a versatile approach for HCHO detection.