A flexible humidity sensor constructed by ordered-pore-array of slightly reduced graphene oxide with much enhanced sensing response

Abstract

Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) flexible film humidity sensor has received increasing attention, but the low sensing response caused by lack of available hydrophilic functional groups is still a limitation. Herein, a slightly reduced graphene oxide (SrGO) ordered-pore-array, fabricated via a monolayer colloid crystal template method, was introduced as a resistive humidity sensor. It was obtained based on adsorption between the GO sheets and the template microspheres, in-situ slight reduction of the GO shells and the removal of template. The reduction way allows the functional groups of GO to be retained as much as possible, and the unique structures (e.g., spherical double surfaces and small through-holes on pore-walls) facilitate the substantial exposure of functional groups, the penetration of water molecules and the utilization of buried functional groups. The available functional groups are thereby efficiently increased, giving the sensor an unprecedented high sensing response, more than 2600 times the maximum response of existing rGO sensors. The sensor also demonstrated excellent practical characteristics, and by detecting a single exhale, it could be employed in quick and quantitative evaluation of human activities and health. This strategy paves a facile and promising route to improve the sensing response and application of graphene-based humidity sensors or gas sensors.