Carbon nanowall-based gas sensors for carbon dioxide gas detection

Abstract Carbon nanowalls (CNWs) have attracted significant attention for gas sensing applications due to their exceptional material properties such as large specific surface area, electric conductivity, nano- and/or micro-porous structure, and high charge carrier mobility. In this work, CNW films were synthesized and used to fabricate gas sensors for carbon dioxide (CO2) gas sensing. The CNW films were synthesized using an ICP PECVD method and their structural and morphological properties were characterized using Raman spectroscopy and electron microscopy. The obtained CNW films were used to fabricate gas sensors employing interdigitated gold (Au) microelectrodes. The gas sensors were fabricated using both direct synthesis of CNW films on interdigitated Au microelectrodes on quartz and also transferring presynthesized CNW films onto interdigitated Au microelectrodes on glass. The CO2 gas-sensing properties of fabricated devices were investigated for different concentrations of CO2 gas and temperature-ranges. The sensitivities of fabricated devices were found to have a linear dependence on the concentration of CO2 gas and increase with temperature. It was revealed that devices in which CNW films have a maze-like structure perform better compared to the ones that have a petal-like structure. A sensitivity value of 1.18% was obtained at 500 ppm CO2 concentration and 100 °C device temperature. The CNW-based gas sensors have the potential for the development of easy-to-manufacture and efficient gas sensors for toxic gas monitoring.