Flexible Room-Temperature Gas Sensors of Nanocomposite Network-Coated Papers

A 'green' paper-based flexible room-temperature electronic sensor is assembled from environmentally friendly 3D porous cellulose papers with the filtration coating of hierarchical polyaniline/ reduced graphene oxide (PANI/RGO) nanocomposite network, which is prepared by in situ PANI polymerization in RGO solution. The environmentally friendly paper with flexibility, porous structure, portability, and recyclability, is considered as potential substrates for the flexible electronic sensors. The as-assembled flexible electronic gas sensor reveals excellent sensing performance and reliable flexibility without obvious performance change after 1000 bending/extending cycles. The high gas sensing performance could be attributed to synergistic advantages of RGO and PANI, high specific surface area (48.532 m(2)/g) for efficient adsorption/desorption of vapor analytes, the interconnected nanocomposite sensing network, and the effectively exposed active surfaces. It is anticipated to be extended for fabricating flexible sensors, providing high sensing performance, superior recyclability, robust flexibility and reliable portability to be potentially integrated into handheld flexible electronics.