Optimizing Hydrogen Sensing Behavior by Controlling the Coverage in Pd Nanoparticle Films

The response of quantum-conductance-based hydrogen sensors fabricated by controllable deposition of closely spaced Pd nanoparticle films between interdigital electrodes was investigated. Three typical response regions with different conductance–hydrogen pressure correlations were observed. The response characteristics of the devices were found to depend strongly on the nanoparticle coverage. In the low H2 pressure region, higher coverage gives higher sensitivity. In the high H2 pressure region, quantitative sensing can only be realized with low nanoparticle coverage. Optimizing the coverage allows the attainment of highly sensitive hydrogen sensors with a very wide quantitative working range, extending far beyond the hydrogen pressure region associated with the α-to-β phase transition of Pd.

[1]  F. Favier,et al.  Palladium mesowire arrays for fast hydrogen sensors and hydrogen-actuated switches. , 2002, Analytical chemistry.

[2]  N. Myung,et al.  Fabrication of nanoelectrodes and nanojunction hydrogen sensor , 2008 .

[3]  Bodh Raj Mehta,et al.  Pulse like hydrogen sensing response in Pd nanoparticle layers , 2007 .

[4]  Jie Fu,et al.  Hydrogen sensing performance of electrodeposited conoidal palladium nanowire and nanotube arrays , 2009 .

[5]  Simon Brown,et al.  A hydrogen sensor based on tunneling between palladium clusters , 2007 .

[6]  Conductivity of 2-D Ag Quantum Dot Arrays: Computational Study of the Role of Size and Packing Disorder at Low Temperatures , 2002 .

[7]  Zhili Xiao,et al.  Self-assembled monolayer-enhanced hydrogen sensing with ultrathin palladium films , 2005 .

[8]  Fan Yang,et al.  Fast, sensitive hydrogen gas detection using single palladium nanowires that resist fracture. , 2009, Nano letters.

[9]  Astrid Pundt,et al.  Hydrogen-induced percolation in discontinuous films , 2002 .

[10]  Lin Yang,et al.  Controllable Synthesis of Two‐ Dimensional Metal Nanoparticle Arrays with Oriented Size and Number Density Gradients , 2007 .

[11]  Fan Yang,et al.  Smaller is faster and more sensitive: the effect of wire size on the detection of hydrogen by single palladium nanowires. , 2010, ACS nano.

[12]  Min Han,et al.  Two-dimensional gradient Ag nanoparticle assemblies: multiscale fabrication and SERS applications , 2010, Nanotechnology.

[13]  Reginald M. Penner,et al.  Sensors from electrodeposited metal nanowires , 2002 .

[14]  R. Blaikie,et al.  Finite-size effects in the conductivity of cluster assembled nanostructures. , 2002, Physical review letters.

[15]  M. Moseler,et al.  Filling of micron‐sized contact holes with copper by energetic cluster impact , 1994 .

[16]  A. Barr,et al.  The effect of hydrogen absorption on the electrical conduction in discontinuous palladium films , 1977 .

[17]  J. V. Lith,et al.  Tin oxide nanocluster hydrogen and ammonia sensors , 2008, Nanotechnology.

[18]  F. Favier,et al.  Hydrogen Sensors and Switches from Electrodeposited Palladium Mesowire Arrays , 2001, Science.