Detection of PPB-Level H2S Concentrations in Exhaled Breath Using Au Nanosheet Sensors with Small Variability, High Selectivity, and Long-Term Stability

The continuous monitoring of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in exhaled breath enables the detection of health issues such as halitosis and gastrointestinal problems. However, H2S sensors with high selectivity and parts per billion-level detection capability, which are essential for breath analysis, and facile fabrication processes for their integration with other devices are lacking. In this study, we demonstrated Au nanosheet H2S sensors with high selectivity, ppb-level detection capability, and high uniformity by optimizing their fabrication processes: (1) insertion of titanium nitride (TiN) as an adhesion layer to prevent Au agglomeration on the oxide substrate and (2) N-2 annealing to improve nanosheet crystallinity. The fabricated Au nanosheets successfully detected H2S at concentrations as low as 5.6 ppb, and the estimated limit of detection was 0.5 ppb, which is superior to that of the human nose (8-13 ppb). In addition, the sensors detected H2S in the exhaled breath of simulated patients at concentrations as low as 175 ppb while showing high selectivity against interfering molecules, such as H-2, alcohols, and humidity. Since Au nanosheets with uniform sensor characteristics enable easy device integration, the proposed sensor will be useful for facile health checkups based on breath analysis upon its integration into mobile devices.