SpringerLink
Log in

Synthesis, Characterization and Fabrication of Highly Efficient Chemical Sensor Based on Graphene Nanocomposites

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Iranian Journal of Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Graphene-based thin-film gas sensors have been widely studied due to their easy fabrication, high efficiency, low power consumption and better selectivity in comparison with the previously designed inorganic semiconducting materials. The present paper reports the investigation of morphological, structural and gas sensing properties of reduced grapheme oxide (RGO), reduced graphene oxide–silver nanocomposite (RGO–AgN) and reduced graphene oxide–silver–polymethyl methacrylate (RGO–AgN–PMMA) nanocomposite thin films. Surface-type thin-film sensing devices were fabricated using the inexpensive drop-cast method. XRD, SEM and Raman spectroscopy were used to study the physical features, crystallinity and structure of the thin films, respectively. The gas detection abilities of the designed device were measured at various concentrations of the selected gases in the range of 0 to 6000 ppm. The sensor was exposed to ammonia, ethanol and methanol, and the variation in electrical parameters of the prepared thin-film devices was examined at various frequencies by a GW Instek817 LCR meter. The sensors indicated a high sensitivity, less response/recovery times and better selectivity toward the testing gases. It was observed that sensors were about three times greater electrical response toward ammonia vapors contrary to ethanol and methanol. The relative capacitance was increased by 7000, 6000 and 1240.8 times (on average) at 100 Hz for RGO–AgN, RGO–AgN–PMMA and RGO thin-film sensors, respectively, when exposed to the gas atmospheres. These experimentally obtained results reveal that RGO–AgN nanocomposite-based sensor showed a greater sensitivity to the gas atmospheres as compared to the other two fabricated sensors.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (Germany)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Al-Mashat L, Shin K, Kalantar-zadeh K, Plessis JD, Han SH, Kojima RW et al (2010) Graphene/polyaniline nanocomposite for hydrogen sensing. J Phys Chem C 114:16168–16173

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Braun G, Lee SJ, Dante M, Nguyen T-Q, Moskovits M, Reich N (2007) Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for DNA detection by nanoparticle assembly onto smooth metal films. J Am Chem Soc 129:6378–6379

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brina R, Collins GE, Lee PA, Armstrong NR (1990) Chemiresistor gas sensors based on photoconductivity changes in phthalocyanine thin films: enhancement of response toward ammonia by photoelectrochemical deposition with metal modifiers. Anal Chem 62:2357–2365

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Calizo I, Bejenari I, Rahman M, Liu G, Balandin AA (2009) Ultraviolet Raman microscopy of single and multilayer graphene. J Appl Phys 106:043509

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng X, Xu Y, Gao S, Zhao H, Huo L (2011) Ag nanoparticles modified TiO2 spherical heterostructures with enhanced gas-sensing performance. Sens Actuators B Chem 155:716–721

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Choi YR, Yoon Y-G, Choi KS, Kang JH, Shim Y-S, Kim YH et al (2015) Role of oxygen functional groups in graphene oxide for reversible room-temperature NO2 sensing. Carbon 91:178–187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Das MR, Sarma RK, Saikia R, Kale VS, Shelke MV, Sengupta P (2011) Synthesis of silver nanoparticles in an aqueous suspension of graphene oxide sheets and its antimicrobial activity. Colloids Surf B 83:16–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dua V, Surwade SP, Ammu S, Agnihotra SR, Jain S, Roberts KE et al (2010) All-organic vapor sensor using inkjet-printed reduced graphene oxide. Angew Chem Int Ed 49:2154–2157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fam DWH, Tok AIY, Palaniappan A, Nopphawan P, Lohani A, Mhaisalkar SG (2009) Selective sensing of hydrogen sulphide using silver nanoparticle decorated carbon nanotubes. Sens Actuators B Chem 138:189–192

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hongsith N, Viriyaworasakul C, Mangkorntong P, Mangkorntong N, Choopun S (2008) Ethanol sensor based on ZnO and Au-doped ZnO nanowires. Ceram Int 34:823–826

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jang E, Lim E-K, Choi J, Park J, Huh Y-J, Suh J-S et al (2011) Br-assisted Ostwald ripening of Au nanoparticles under H2O2 redox. Cryst Growth Des 12:37–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ko G, Kim H-Y, Ahn J, Park Y-M, Lee K-Y, Kim J (2010) Graphene-based nitrogen dioxide gas sensors. Curr Appl Phys 10:1002–1004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lange U, Roznyatovskaya NV, Mirsky VM (2008) Conducting polymers in chemical sensors and arrays. Anal Chim Acta 614:1–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Layek RK, Nandi AK (2013) A review on synthesis and properties of polymer functionalized graphene. Polymer 54:5087–5103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Y, Liu Z, Lew WS, Wang QJ (2013) Temperature dependence of the electrical transport properties in few-layer graphene interconnects. Nanoscale Res Lett 8:335

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu S, Yu B, Zhang H, Fei T, Zhang T (2014) Enhancing NO2 gas sensing performances at room temperature based on reduced graphene oxide-ZnO nanoparticles hybrids. Sens Actuators B Chem 202:272–278

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meng F-L, Guo Z, Huang X-J (2015) Graphene-based hybrids for chemiresistive gas sensors. TrAC Trends Anal Chem 68:37–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Palaniselvam T, Aiyappa HB, Kurungot S (2012) An efficient oxygen reduction electrocatalyst from graphene by simultaneously generating pores and nitrogen doped active sites. J Mater Chem 22:23799–23805

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qin X, Luo Y, Lu W, Chang G, Asiri AM, Al-Youbi AO et al (2012) One-step synthesis of Ag nanoparticles-decorated reduced graphene oxide and their application for H2O2 detection. Electrochim Acta 79:46–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rahim I, Shah M, Iqbal M, Wahab F, Khan A, Khan SH (2017) Fabrication and electrical characterizations of graphene nanocomposite thin film based heterojunction diode. Phys B 524:97–103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rahim I, Shah M, Khan A, Luo J, Zhong A, Li M et al (2018) Capacitive and resistive response of humidity sensors based on graphene decorated by PMMA and silver nanoparticles. Sens Actuators B Chem 267:42–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schedin F, Geim A, Morozov S, Hill E, Blake P, Katsnelson M et al (2007) Detection of individual gas molecules adsorbed on graphene. Nat Mater 6:652

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simonsen SB, Chorkendorff I, Dahl S, Skoglundh M, Sehested J, Helveg S (2010) Direct observations of oxygen-induced platinum nanoparticle ripening studied by in situ TEM. J Am Chem Soc 132:7968–7975

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu W, Liu Z, Jauregui LA, Yu Q, Pillai R, Cao H et al (2010) Wafer-scale synthesis of graphene by chemical vapor deposition and its application in hydrogen sensing. Sens Actuators B Chem 150:296–300

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu C, Wang X, Zhu J (2008) Graphene–metal particle nanocomposites. J Phys Chem C 112:19841–19845

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yoon HJ, Yang JH, Zhou Z, Yang SS, Cheng MM-C (2011) Carbon dioxide gas sensor using a graphene sheet. Sens Actuators B Chem 157:310–313

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu M, Chen J, Liu J, Li S, Ma Y, Zhang J et al (2015) Mesoporous NiCo2O4 nanoneedles grown on 3D graphene-nickel foam for supercapacitor and methanol electro-oxidation. Electrochim Acta 151:99–108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu X, Zhang W, Zhang P, Su Z (2017) Fabrication technologies and sensing applications of graphene-based composite films: advances and challenges. Biosens Bioelectron 89:72–84

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zainy M, Huang N, Kumar SV, Lim H, Chia CH, Harrison I (2012) Simple and scalable preparation of reduced graphene oxide–silver nanocomposites via rapid thermal treatment. Mater Lett 89:180–183

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng Y, Lee D, Koo HY, Maeng S (2015) Chemically modified graphene/PEDOT: PSS nanocomposite films for hydrogen gas sensing. Carbon 81:54–62

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou Y, Jiang Y, **e T, Tai H, **e G (2014) A novel sensing mechanism for resistive gas sensors based on layered reduced graphene oxide thin films at room temperature. Sens Actuators B Chem 203:135–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) (Grant No. 20-3118/R & D/NRPU/ HEC/2014) for the financial support through Indigenous Ph.D. Fellowship to Ishrat Rahim. We are also thankful to PCSIR Laboratories Complex Peshawar, CRL and MRL, Department of Physics, University of Peshawar, for their experimental assistance and chemicals.

Funding

The authors have not disclosed any funding.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan

    Ishrat Rahim, Mutabar Shah & Afzal khan

  2. National Centre of Excellence in Physical Chemistry, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan

    Rizwan Ullah

Authors
  1. Ishrat Rahim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mutabar Shah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Afzal khan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Rizwan Ullah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ishrat Rahim.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors have not disclosed any conflict of interests.

Additional information

Physics A. Zakery

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Rahim, I., Shah, M., khan, A. et al. Synthesis, Characterization and Fabrication of Highly Efficient Chemical Sensor Based on Graphene Nanocomposites. Iran J Sci 47, 1431–1440 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40995-023-01498-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40995-023-01498-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation