For rapid hydrogen gas (H2) sensing, we propose the facile synthesis of the hollow structure of Pt-decorated molybdenum disulfide (h-MoS2/Pt) using ultrathin (mono- or few-layer) two-dimensional nanosheets. The controlled amphiphilic nature of MoS2 surface produces ultrathin MoS2 NS-covered polystyrene particles via one-step Pickering emulsification. The incorporation of Pt nanoparticles (NPs) on the MoS2, followed by pyrolysis, generates the highly porous h-MoS2/Pt. This hollow hybrid structure produces sufficiently permeable pathways for H2 and maximizes the active sites of MoS2, while the Pt NPs on the hollow MoS2 induce catalytic H2 spillover during H2 sensing. The h-MoS2/Pt-based chemiresistors show sensitive H2 sensing performances with fast sensing speed (response, 8.1 s for 1% of H2 and 2.7 s for 4%; and recovery, 16.0 s for both 1% and 4% H2 at room temperature in the air). These results mark the highest H2 sensing speed among 2D material-based H2 sensors operated at room temperature in air. Our fabrication method of h-MoS2/Pt structure through Pickering emulsion provides a versatile platform applicable to various 2D material-based hollow structures and facilitates their use in other applications involving surface reactions.
Keywords: Pickering emulsion; hollow MoS2 structure; hydrogen sensors; rapid hydrogen sensing; spillover.