Highly Sensitive and Stable Humidity Sensor Based on the Bi-Layered PVA/Graphene Flower Composite Film

Nanomaterials (Basel). 2022 Mar 21;12(6):1026. doi: 10.3390/nano12061026.

Abstract

Two-dimensional (2D) materials and their composites have gained significant importance as the functional layer of various environmental sensors and nanoelectronics owing to their unique properties. This work reports for the first time a highly sensitive, fast, and stable humidity sensor based on the bi-layered active sensing area composed of graphene flower (GF) and poly (vinyl alcohol) PVA thin films for multifunctional applications. The GF/PVA humidity sensor exhibited stable impedance response over 15 days, for a relative humidity (RH) range of (40-90% RH) under ambient operating conditions. The proposed bi-layered humidity sensor also exhibited an ultra-high capacitive sensitivity response of the 29 nF/%RH at 10 kHz and fast transient response of 2 s and 3.5 s, respectively. Furthermore, the reported sensor also showed a good response towards multi-functional applications such as non-contact skin humidity and mouth breathing detection.

Keywords: bi-layered; graphene flower; humidity sensor; poly (vinyl alcohol) PVA.