Flexible Transparent Electronic Gas Sensors

Small. 2016 Jul;12(28):3748-56. doi: 10.1002/smll.201601049. Epub 2016 Jun 8.

Abstract

Flexible and transparent electronic gas sensors capable of real-time, sensitive, and selective analysis at room-temperature, have gained immense popularity in recent years for their potential to be integrated into various smart wearable electronics and display devices. Here, recent advances in flexible transparent sensors constructed from semiconducting oxides, carbon materials, conducting polymers, and their nanocomposites are presented. The sensing material selection, sensor device construction, and sensing mechanism of flexible transparent sensors are discussed in detail. The critical challenges and future development associated with flexible and transparent electronic gas sensors are presented. Smart wearable gas sensors are believed to have great potential in environmental monitoring and noninvasive health monitoring based on disease biomarkers in exhaled gas.

Keywords: chemical gas sensors; conducting polymers; flexible transparent electronics; nanocomposites; transparent conducting films.

MeSH terms

  • Electronics / methods*
  • Equipment Design
  • Gases / chemistry*
  • Oxides / chemistry
  • Polymers / chemistry
  • Semiconductors

Substances

  • Gases
  • Oxides
  • Polymers