title: Arrays of Ultrathin CdS Nanoflakes with High-Energy Surface for Efficient Gas Detection.
abstract: It is fascinating and challenging to endow conventional materials with unprecedented properties. For instance, cadmium sulfide (CdS) is an important semiconductor with excellent light response; however, its potential in gas-sensing was underestimated owing to relatively low chemical activity and poor electrical conductivity. Herein, we demonstrate that an ideal architecture, ultrathin nanoflake arrays (NFAs), can improve significantly gas-sensing properties of CdS material. The CdS NFAs are grown directly on the interdigitated electrode to expose large surface area. Their thickness is reduced below the double Debye length of CdS, permitting to achieve a full depletion of carriers. Particularly, the prepared CdS nanoflakes are enclosed with high-energy {0001} facets exposed, which provides more active sites for gas adsorption. Moreover, the NFAs exhibit the light-trapping effect, which further enhances their gas sensitivity. As a result, the as-prepared CdS NFAs demonstrate excellent gas-sensing and light-response properties, thus being capable of dual gas and light detection.
authors.forename: Xiao-Hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Peng-Fei
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Innovative Science and Technology, Tokai University , 4-1-1 Kitakaname, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1292, Japan.|Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies, Aston University , Aston Triangle, Birmingham B4 7ET, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sergei A
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1365-9221
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kulinich
authors.forename: Yu-Zhu
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Xi-Wen
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2811-147X
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Du
keywords: cadmium sulfide; gas sensing; high-energy surface; nanoflakes; ultrathin