Abstract
Humidity sensors based on flexible sensitive nanomaterials are very attractive in noncontact healthcare monitoring. However, the existing humidity sensors have some shortcomings such as limited sensitivity, narrow relative humidity (RH) range, and complex process. Herein, we show that a tin sulfide (SnS) nanoflakes-based sensor presents high humidity sensing behaviour both in rigid and flexible substrate. The sensing mechanism based on Schottky nature of SnS-metal contact endows the as-fabricated sensor with high response of 2491000% towards a wide RH range from 3% RH to 99% RH. The response and recovery time of the sensor are 6 s and 4 s, respectively. Besides, the flexible SnS nanoflakes-based humidity sensor with polyimide substrate can be well attached to skin and exhibits stable humidity sensing performance in the natural flat state and under bending loading. Moreover, the first-principles analysis is performed to prove the high specificity of SnS to the moisture (H2O) in the air. Benefit from its promising advantages, we explore some application of the SnS nanoflakes-based sensors in detection of breathing patterns and non-contact finger tips sensing behaviour. The sensor can monitor the respiration pattern of human being accurately, and recognize the movement of fingertip speedily. This novel humidity sensor shows a great promising application in physiological and physical monitoring, portable diagnosis system, and noncontact interface localization.
Citation
ID:
35903
Ref Key:
tang2019highperformancenanotechnology