Selectivity enhancement using mesoporous silica thin films for single walled carbon nanotube based vapour sensors

Yann Battie (1) , Olivier Ducloux (2) , Loic Patout (1) , Philippe Thobois (2) , Annick Loiseau (1)

1 LEM - ONERA - CNRS - Laboratoire d'étude des microstructures [Châtillon]
2 DMPE, ONERA, Université Paris Saclay (COmUE) [Châtillon]

Vapour sensors based on single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) networks offer a high sensitivity but poor selectivity. Different works were undertaken, with varying degrees of success, to overcome this drawback. In this context, we develop a new selective sensor architecture based on a SWCNT network covered with a mesoporous silica film elaborated by sol–gel process. The topological and chemical characteristics of this sensor are obtained by TEM, SEM, EDX, contact angle and electrical measurements. We demonstrate that highly polarised molecules are stopped by the silica layer while other molecules like NO2 can diffuse easily in the mesoporous silica layer to reach the SWCNT network without increasing the response time.

Keywords: Carbon nanotubes network; Mesoporous silica film; Sol–gel; Vapour sensor; Diffusion barrier

Domains: Chemical Sciences

Yann Battie, Olivier Ducloux, Loic Patout, Philippe Thobois, Annick Loiseau. Selectivity enhancement using mesoporous silica thin films for single walled carbon nanotube based vapour sensors. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2012, 163 (1), pp.121-127. ⟨10.1016/j.snb.2012.01.018⟩. ⟨hal-01790100⟩