Strategies and challenges for improving the performance of two-dimensional materials-based gas sensors

ABSTRACT

Two-dimensional (2D) materials emerged in the last decade have been considered as an attractive class of gas sensing materials due to their large surface-to-volume ratio, high surface reaction activity and good gas adsorption performance provided by the atomically thickness and flat surface. The development of high-performance micro-nano gas sensors places higher demands on sensing materials, thus 2D materials must satisfy good sensing performance requirements such as excellent gas selectivity, reproducibility, long-term stability, and fast response/recovery time to achieve high sensitivity detection at low concentrations. Herein, we overview the recent literature on the sensor structure, sensing mechanisms and improved gas sensing performance of 2D materials-based gas sensors. In particular, we discuss how the sensing properties of 2D materials can be modulated through defect and doping engineering, modification with noble metal, constructing heterostructure, as well as external energy assistance, e.g. by light illumination. Besides reviewing the achievements of gas sensors based on 2D materials, we provide an outlook on their future developments. Understanding the relationship between structure and sensing mechanisms of 2D materials-based sensors provides vast opportunities for designing advanced gas sensors, making it promising for a wide range of practical applications.

KEYWORDS:

• Gas sensor
• two-dimensional materials
• strategies
• sensing performances

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant [number 62304151, 62204170, 52107203]; the Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin under Grant [number 22JCQNJC01010]; and the Open Project of State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology under Grant [number SKT2208].