Role of nanostructuring of sensing materials in performance of electrical gas sensors by combining with extra strategies

Nanostructuring, including tailoring dimensionality, size and morphology, and nanopatterning, is well recognized to play an increasingly important role in sensing units/chips of electrical gas sensors. As two predominant and fundamental configurations, chemiresistor- and field emission transistor (FET)-based electrical gas sensors are receiving increasing attention for fundamental research and practical applications. Herein, state-of-the-art overviews of electrical gas sensors are presented with emphasis on the role of nanostructuring in sensing units for both chemiresistors and FETs types, the strategies for their performance enhancement, and some key sensing mechanisms involved. Nanostructuring of sensing units and their dependence of the performance of chemiresistor- and FET-based gas sensors are discussed according to zero- (0D), one-(1D), two- (2D), and three-dimension (3D), respectively. Other types of gas sensors are also mentioned briefly. Some particular strategies such as loading external heat and light sources, electrical field, and mechanical forces for providing extra freedom to improve and optimize the performance are introduced in detail. Finally, a summary and future perspectives about gas sensors are given with some novel strategies, ideas, and solutions that could make it possible to meet the requirements of rapid industrialization, informatization, intelligentization, and population expansion.