Failure study of SnO 2 room temperature gas sensors fabricated on nanospike substrates

Pengtao Wang, Haizhou Ren, Haibin Huo, Mengyan Shen, Hongwei Sun, Marina Ruths

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

SnO 2 gas sensors were fabricated on polyurethane (PU) polymer surfaces with nanospike structures. These nanospikes are replicated with a low-cost soft nanolithography method from silicon nanospike surfaces formed by femtosecond pulsed laser irradiation. The hydrophobicity of the sensing surface was enhanced by a monolayer coating of silane (1H,1H,2H,2H- perfluorooctyltrichlorosilane, PFOTS). The resulting self-cleaning behavior enabled sensing in environments with high moisture and heavy particulate content, while performing cleaning-in-place operations to prolong the lifetime of the sensors. Failure studies were performed to quantify the effects on the sensitivity of water washing. Contact angle measurements showed that the hydrophobicity was weakened after many cycles of droplet washing due to wear of the PFOTS film and/or damage of the nanoscale spike structure. It was also found that the baseline signal increased with droplet washing, while the sensitivity changed randomly within about 7.5%, so that the sensitivity of the gas sensor remained at a constant level after several thousand cycles of water washing.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationSensors and Smart Structures Technologies for Civil, Mechanical, and Aerospace Systems 2012
DOIs
StatePublished - 2012
Externally publishedYes
EventSensors and Smart Structures Technologies for Civil, Mechanical, and Aerospace Systems 2012 - San Diego, CA, United States
Duration: Mar 12 2012Mar 15 2012

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume8345
ISSN (Print)0277-786X

Conference

ConferenceSensors and Smart Structures Technologies for Civil, Mechanical, and Aerospace Systems 2012
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySan Diego, CA
Period03/12/1203/15/12

Keywords

  • Droplet washing
  • Gas sensors
  • Nanospike
  • Self-cleaning
  • Sensitivity
  • SnO

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