title: Cubic mesoporous Ag@CN: a high performance humidity sensor.
abstract: The fabrication of highly responsive, rapid response/recovery and durable relative humidity (%RH) sensors that can precisely monitor humidity levels still remains a considerable challenge for realizing the next generation humidity sensing applications. Herein, we report a remarkably sensitive and rapid %RH sensor having a reversible response using a nanocasting route for synthesizing mesoporous g-CN (commonly known as g-C3N4). The 3D replicated cubic mesostructure provides a high surface area thereby increasing the adsorption, transmission of charge carriers and desorption of water molecules across the sensor surfaces. Owing to its unique structure, the mesoporous g-CN functionalized with well dispersed catalytic Ag nanoparticles exhibits excellent sensitivity in the 11-98% RH range while retaining high stability, negligible hysteresis and superior real time %RH detection performances. Compared to conventional resistive sensors based on metal oxides, a rapid response time (3 s) and recovery time (1.4 s) were observed in the 11-98% RH range. Such impressive features originate from the planar morphology of g-CN as well as unique physical affinity and favourable electronic band positions of this material that facilitate water adsorption and charge transportation. Mesoporous g-CN with Ag nanoparticles is demonstrated to provide an effective strategy in designing high performance %RH sensors and show great promise for utilization of mesoporous 2D layered materials in the Internet of Things and next generation humidity sensing applications.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nano Science & Technology (INST), Mohali-160062, Punjab, India. kamal@inst.ac.in kkamal17@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Vijay K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Tomer
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nano Science & Technology (INST), Mohali-160062, Punjab, India. kamal@inst.ac.in kkamal17@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nishanthi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Thangaraj
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nano Science & Technology (INST), Mohali-160062, Punjab, India. kamal@inst.ac.in kkamal17@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sweta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gahlot
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nano Science & Technology (INST), Mohali-160062, Punjab, India. kamal@inst.ac.in kkamal17@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Kamalakannan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kailasam