Flexible and Transparent Gas Molecule Sensor Integrated with Sensing and Heating Graphene Layers

Abstract

Graphene leading to high surface-to-volume ratio and outstanding conductivity is applied for gas molecule sensing with fully utilizing its unique transparent and flexible functionalities which cannot be expected from solid-state gas sensors. In order to attain a fast response and rapid recovering time, the flexible sensors also require integrated flexible and transparent heaters. Here, large-scale flexible and transparent gas molecule sensor devices, integrated with a graphene sensing channel and a graphene transparent heater for fast recovering operation, are demonstrated. This combined all-graphene device structure enables an overall device optical transmittance that exceeds 90% and reliable sensing performance with a bending strain of less than 1.4%. In particular, it is possible to classify the fast (approximate to 14 s) and slow (approximate to 95 s) response due to sp(2)-carbon bonding and disorders on graphene and the self-integrated graphene heater leads to the rapid recovery (approximate to 11 s) of a 2 cm x 2 cm sized sensor with reproducible sensing cycles, including full recovery steps without significant signal degradation under exposure to NO2 gas.