title: Humidity Sensing Properties of Paper Substrates and Their Passivation with ZnO Nanoparticles for Sensor Applications.
abstract: In this paper, we investigated the effect of humidity on paper substrates and propose a simple and low-cost method for their passivation using ZnO nanoparticles. To this end, we built paper-based microdevices based on an interdigitated electrode (IDE) configuration by means of a mask-less laser patterning method on simple commercial printing papers. Initial resistive measurements indicate that a paper substrate with a porous surface can be used as a cost-effective, sensitive and disposable humidity sensor in the 20% to 70% relative humidity (RH) range. Successive spin-coated layers of ZnO nanoparticles then, control the effect of humidity. Using this approach, the sensors become passive to relative humidity changes, paving the way to the development of ZnO-based gas sensors on paper substrates insensitive to humidity.
authors.affiliation: Nano and Microelectronics Group, BioSense Institute, 1 Zorana Djindijca, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia. niarchos@uns.ac.rs.
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Niarchos
authors.affiliation: Nano and Microelectronics Group, BioSense Institute, 1 Zorana Djindijca, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia. georgesdubourg@uns.ac.rs.
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dubourg
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, NCSR "Demokritos", Patriarhou Gregoriou & Neapoleos, 15310 Aghia Paraskevi, Greece. george.afroudakis@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Afroudakis
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, NCSR "Demokritos", Patriarhou Gregoriou & Neapoleos, 15310 Aghia Paraskevi, Greece. m.georgopoulos@imperial.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Markos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Georgopoulos
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, NCSR "Demokritos", Patriarhou Gregoriou & Neapoleos, 15310 Aghia Paraskevi, Greece. v.tsouti@inn.demokritos.gr.
authors.forename: Vasiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tsouti
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, NCSR "Demokritos", Patriarhou Gregoriou & Neapoleos, 15310 Aghia Paraskevi, Greece. e.makarona@inn.demokritos.gr.
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Makarona
authors.affiliation: Nano and Microelectronics Group, BioSense Institute, 1 Zorana Djindijca, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia. bengin@uns.ac.rs.
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Crnojevic-Bengin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, NCSR "Demokritos", Patriarhou Gregoriou & Neapoleos, 15310 Aghia Paraskevi, Greece. c.tsamis@inn.demokritos.gr.
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tsamis
keywords: ZnO nanoparticles; disposable sensors; humidity passivation; paper substrate