Article Title

Single-walled carbon nanotube networks for ethanol vapor sensing applications

Authors

Ilya V. Anoshkin, Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University School of Science, P.O. Box 15100, Espoo, FI-00076 AALTO, Finland
Albert G. Nasibulin, Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University School of Science, P.O. Box 15100, Espoo, FI-00076 AALTO, Finland
Prasantha R. Mudimela, Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University School of Science, P.O. Box 15100, Espoo, FI-00076 AALTO, Finland Research Center in Physics of Matter and Radiation (PMR), University of Namur (FUNDP), rue de Bruxelles 61, B-5000 Namur, Belgium
Maoshuai He, Department of Biotechnology and Chemical Technology, Aalto University, School of Chemical Technology, P.O. Box 16100, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
Vladimir Ermolov, Nokia Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
Esko I. Kauppinen, Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University School of Science, P.O. Box 15100, Espoo, FI-00076 AALTO, Finland

Keywords

single walled carbon nanotubes, carbon nanobuds, Ar-plasma, ethanol vapor sensor

Abstract

Networks of pristine high quality single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), the SWNTs after Ar-plasma treatment (from 2 to 12 min) and carbon nanobuds (CNBs) have been tested for ethanol vapor sensing. It was found that the pristine high quality SWNTs do not exhibit any ethanol sensitivity, while the introduction of defects in the tubes results in the appearance of the ethanol sensitivity. The CNB network showed ethanol sensitivity without plasma treatment. Both CNB and low defect (after 3 min treatment) SWNT networks exhibit significant drift in the resistance baseline, while heavily plasma-treated (9 min) SWNTs exhibited high ethanol vapor sensitivity without the baseline change. The mechanisms of the ethanol sensitivity and stability after the plasma irradiation are attributed to the formation of sensitive dangling bonds in the SWNTs and formation of defect channels facilitating access of the ethanol vapor to all parts of the bundled nanotubes.

Graphical Abstract

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-012-0282-6

Publisher

Tsinghua University Press

Recommended Citation

Ilya V. Anoshkin,Albert G. Nasibulin,Prasantha R. Mudimela,Maoshuai He,Vladimir Ermolov,Esko I. Kauppinen, Single-walled carbon nanotube networks for ethanol vapor sensing applications. NanoRes.2013, 6(2): 77–86