Nanofibers enabled advanced gas sensors: A review

Abstract

The advancement of gas sensor technology over the past decades has led to remarkable progress and achievements in pollution control and environmental protection. Compared with other sensing materials, electrospun nanofibers have attracted significant attention, which is mainly due to their unique characteristics, including but not limited to high surface area, easy structure design, facile facility setup, multifunctional properties, etc., making them outstanding candidates for potential applications in this field. This review provides an overview of the applications of electrospun nanofibers in gas sensors, concentrating on carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, nitrogen oxides, oxygen, and volatile organic compounds. It begins with a brief introduction to sensing materials and the advantages of electrospun nanofibers along with their ongoing research. The principles and progress of electrospinning are then discussed. Afterward, the corresponding properties of electrospun nanofibers in diverse gas sensors are thoroughly reviewed. Finally, a future vision regarding challenges and perspectives in this area is proposed. This review provides an extensive and comprehensive reference to utilize advanced electrospun nanofibers to generate novel sensors, facilitating their performance in high-demand areas.