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Title: Metallic Ti3C2Tx MXene Gas Sensors with Ultrahigh Signal-to-Noise Ratio

Journal Article · · ACS Nano
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [3]; ORCiD logo [2];  [1]; ORCiD logo [2];  [4]; ORCiD logo [4];  [5]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [6]
  1. Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon (Korea). National Research Lab. for Organic Optoelectronic Materials
  2. Drexel Univ., Philadelphia, PA (United States). A.J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute
  3. Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon (Korea). Dept. of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK-21 Plus)
  4. Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon (Korea). School of Electrical Engineering
  5. Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon (Korea). Dept. of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK-21 Plus) and KAIST Inst. for Nanocentury
  6. Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon (Korea). National Research Lab. for Organic Optoelectronic Materials and KAIST Inst. for Nanocentury

Achieving high sensitivity in solid-state gas sensors can allow the precise detection of chemical agents. In particular, detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at the parts per billion (ppb) level is critical for the early diagnosis of diseases. To obtain high sensitivity, two requirements need to be simultaneously satisfied: (i) low electrical noise and (ii) strong signal, which existing sensor materials cannot meet. Here, we demonstrate that 2D metal carbide MXenes, which possess high metallic conductivity for low noise and a fully functionalized surface for a strong signal, greatly outperform the sensitivity of conventional semiconductor channel materials. Ti3C2Tx MXene gas sensors exhibited a very low limit of detection of 50–100 ppb for VOC gases at room temperature. Also, the extremely low noise led to a signal-to-noise ratio 2 orders of magnitude higher than that of other 2D materials, surpassing the best sensors known. Furthermore, our results provide insight in utilizing highly functionalized metallic sensing channels for developing highly sensitive sensors.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
1488925
Journal Information:
ACS Nano, Journal Name: ACS Nano Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 12; ISSN 1936-0851
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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