Selective Detection of Ethylene by MoS2–Carbon Nanotube Networks Coated with Cu(I)–Pincer Complexes

The plant hormone ethylene (C2) can induce premature fruit ripening and flower senescence at levels below 1 ppm, which has motivated efforts to develop cost-effective methods for C2 monitoring during the transport and storage of climacteric fruits. Here, we describe a nanocomposite film composed of exfoliated MoS2, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SCNTs), and Cu(I)–tris(mercaptoimidazolyl)borate complexes (Cu–Tm) for real-time detection of C2 at levels down to 100 ppb. A copercolation network of MoS2 and SCNTs was deposited onto interdigitated Ag electrodes printed on plastic substrates and then coated with Cu–Tm with a final conductance in the 0.5 mS range. Reversible changes in relative conductance (−ΔG/G0) were measured upon C2 exposure with a linear response at sub-ppm levels. The thin-film sensors were highly selective toward C2, and they responded weakly to other volatile organic compounds or water at similar partial pressures. A mechanism is proposed in which Cu–Tm behaves as a chemically sensitive n-type dopant for MoS2, based on spectroscopic characterization and density functional theory modeling. Cu–Tm-coated MoS2/SCNT sensors were also connected to a battery-powered wireless transmitter and used to monitor C2 production from various fruit samples, validating their utility as practical, field-deployable sensors.