Room-temperature ethylene glycol sensor based on cuprous oxide/MXene films

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Sensing
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Industrial safety and environmental monitoring require sensitive and selective gas sensors.
• Existing sensors often lack performance at room temperature or struggle with selectivity.
• Ethylene glycol (EG) detection is crucial for various industrial applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a high-performance room-temperature gas sensor for ethylene glycol (EG).
• To investigate the synergistic effects of Cu2O/MXene bilayer films for enhanced gas sensing.
• To establish a cost-effective and reliable sensing platform for challenging environments.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of Cu2O/MXene bilayer films on quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) substrates.
• Systematic characterization using XRD, FTIR, and FESEM.
• Performance evaluation including detection limit, sensitivity, selectivity, and humidity effects.

Main Results:

• The Cu2O/MXene bilayer sensor achieved an ultra-low detection limit of 381 ppb and high sensitivity (22.8 Hz/ppm).
• Exceptional selectivity was observed compared to individual Cu2O, MXene, or mixture films.
• Synergistic effects from the Schottky junction between Cu2O and MXene enhanced EG adsorption.
• The sensor demonstrated robust performance with a moderate response reduction under humidity variations.

Conclusions:

• The Cu2O/MXene bilayer film is a highly effective room-temperature sensing material for EG.
• The synergistic interaction between Cu2O and MXene significantly boosts sensor performance.
• This cost-effective and reliable platform is suitable for next-generation gas detection applications.