Resonant cantilevers with nanoparticles-spaced functional graphene-oxide sheets for high-performance sensing to ppt-level explosive vapor

To high-performance detection of ultra-low concentration explosive vapor, we develop resonant microcantilever sensors by using a nano sensing material of functionalized GO/Au-NPs (gold-nanoparticles in situ grown on graphene-oxide sheet). To achieve specific-modification for fine selectivity and enlarge graphene surface-area for fast capturing the gas-molecules, surface-modified graphene-oxide sheets are stacked into porous-layered nanostructure by using Au-NPs as the nano-gap supporting pillars. Ultra-sensitive detection of TNT vapor is experimentally implemented, resulting in finer detection limit than 20 ppt and very high selectivity to ppm-level interfering gases.