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Interconnected graphene/polymer micro-tube piping composites for liquid sensing

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Abstract

Detection and analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as pollutants in the atmosphere and liquids are of great significance because of the detrimental effects of VOCs. A polymer-coated graphene micro-tube piping (GMP) structure with a cross-linked and interconnected channel network was synthesized for liquid sensing. By virtue of their unique cross-linked and interconnected channel network configuration, polycrystalline conformation, and the support of a polymer layer, the resistivity of the 3D hollow micro-tubing GMPs was sensitive to strain, ensuring high sensitivity of the liquid sensor (R/R 0 of ∼4 × 103% for pure acetone and R/R 0 of ∼105% for 0.01 wt.% acetone solution). Due to the capillary force, the interfaces of the 3D structures can speed up the penetration of solvents into the polymer, thus promote distinct selectivity within seconds and significantly decrease the response time. Owing to their good selectivity, high sensitivity, rapid response and flexibility, and the ease of use of the sensors and the simplicity of the fabrication processes, the GMP/polymer composites should be a good candidate for liquid sensing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, Key Laboratory of Materials Processing Technology of MOE, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Tingting Yang, Xiao Li, Kunlin Wang, Jinquan Wei & Hongwei Zhu

  2. Center for Nano and Micro Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Tingting Yang, Xiao Li, Zhihong Li & Hongwei Zhu

  3. National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Micro/Nano Fabrication, Institute of Microelectronics, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China

    Hongze Zhang & Zhihong Li

  4. Department of Physics, and Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Laboratory, Institute for Advanced Study, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China

    Yan Wang

  5. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Dehai Wu

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  1. Tingting Yang
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  2. Hongze Zhang
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  3. Yan Wang
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  4. Xiao Li
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  5. Kunlin Wang
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  6. Jinquan Wei
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  7. Dehai Wu
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  8. Zhihong Li
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  9. Hongwei Zhu
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Zhihong Li or Hongwei Zhu.

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These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Yang, T., Zhang, H., Wang, Y. et al. Interconnected graphene/polymer micro-tube piping composites for liquid sensing. Nano Res. 7, 869–876 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-014-0448-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-014-0448-5

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