Conjuncted photo-thermoelectric effect in ZnO\u2013graphene nanocomposite foam for self-powered simultaneous temperature and light sensing

Huiqi Zhao,Yogendra Kumar Mishra,Lu Han,Zhiqiang Zhang,Bangsen Ouyang,Ya Yang

doi:10.1038/s41598-020-68790-w

Abstract

The self-powered sensors are more and more important in current society. However, detecting both light and temperature signals simultaneously without energy waste and signal interference is still a challenge. Here, we report a ZnO/graphene nanocomposite foam-based self-powered sensor, which can realize the simultaneous detection of light and temperature by using the conjuncted photo-thermoelectric effect in ZnO–graphene nanocomposite foam sensor. The output current under light, heating and cooling of the device with the best ZnO/graphene ratio (8:1) for the foam can reach 1.75 µA, 1.02 µA and 0.70 µA, respectively, which are approximately three fold higher than them of devices with other ZnO/graphene ratios. The ZnO–graphene nanocomposite foam device also possesses excellent thermoelectric and photoelectric performances for conjuncted lighting and heating detection without mutual interference. The ZnO–graphene nanocomposite foam device exhibits a new designation on the road towards the fabrication of low cost and one-circuit-based multifunction sensors and systems.

Highlights

The self-powered sensors are more and more important in current society
In such a material form, both the component are homogeneously distributed throughout the entire material[20] and this can be used to build a reliable and portable devices for example, the conveniently-manufacture sensor device based on graphene and tetrapod zinc oxide (ZnO) composite materials is demonstrated here for the first time to the best of literature knowledge
The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of T-ZnO powders are shown in Supplementary information Fig. S2c, exhibiting a typical hexagonal-wurtzite crystal structure (PDF # 65-3411) with high crystallinity due to the diffraction peaks are narrow and s trong[5,17,20]

Summary

Introduction

The self-powered sensors are more and more important in current society. detecting both light and temperature signals simultaneously without energy waste and signal interference is still a challenge. Tetrapod shape offers a high advantage in the sense that does not matter how are they placed with respect to each other, they constitute a self-assembled homogeneous 3D network with extremely high porosity where the other material component can be incorporated with high homogeneity In such a material form, both the component are homogeneously distributed throughout the entire material[20] and this can be used to build a reliable and portable devices for example, the conveniently-manufacture sensor device based on graphene and tetrapod ZnO composite materials is demonstrated here for the first time to the best of literature knowledge. The demonstrated ZnO–graphene nanocomposite foam device offers the realization of simultaneous detection of temperature and light through conjuncted photo-thermoelectric effect

Methods

Results

Conclusion