Graphene meshes decorated with palladium nanoparticles for hydrogen detection

Abstract

We fabricated flexible and transparent hydrogen gas sensors based on a palladium-decorated graphene mesh. Electron microscopy analysis confirmed that similar to 2-3 nm diameter Pd nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed on the graphene mesh surfaces. The sensors were highly transparent with an average optical transmission of ��90% to visible light and they exhibited good electrical stability with a resistance change of 1.5% under a tensile strain of 1.1% in a cyclic bending-unbending test. Compared with graphene-based sensors, the graphene mesh sensors exhibited a faster response to hydrogen gas with sensitivity as high as similar to 5% at a low concentration of 10 ppm H-2/air, even at room temperature. The enhanced H-2 detection characteristic of the graphene mesh sensors is attributed to the existence of edges.This work was supported by the Basic Science Research Program (2015R1A2A2A11001426) and International Research & Development Program (2013K1A3A1A32035393) through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (MSIP) of Korea. SN acknowledges the support from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research/Asian Office of Aerospace Research Development (AFOSR/AOARD) Nano Bio Info Technology (NBIT) Phase III Program (AOARD-13-4125)