UNSW Sydney researchers have developed a new miniature nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) sensor which operates in real-time and does not require an external power source.
The new sensor, published in Advanced Science, demonstrated high NO₂ sensitivity while operating at room temperature during testing. Additionally, by using advanced printing techniques, the miniature sensors can be sustainably produced.
"It's exciting because it's not just science for the sake of science—this has great potential to apply to practical uses," said Professor Dewei Chu. "The fact that it's sustainable and has shown excellent performance makes it feel like we're contributing to revolutionizing gas sensors that can be implemented in wearable sensing applications and large-scale production."
Lab testing of the MoS₂-based sensor showed and excellent NO₂ sensitivity of just 10ppm. NO₂, while naturally found in small concentrations, is considered a danger to human life beginning at concentrations as low as 50ppm.
Thanks to the very small size and low energy consumption of the device, it has a wide potential array of uses in various working environments to measure toxic gas concentrations.
"We hope to work on designing wearable sensing devices for monitoring air quality, such as for industrial safety systems at mining sites, or in warehouses, where concentrations of NO2 can be particularly high," added Prof. Chu.