A hierarchical structure of vertically oriented graphene nanowalls grown directly on a polymer nanofiber mesh boosts room-temperature NO2 detection while keeping the sensor flexible and breathable for wearable integration.
Direct growth of graphene nanowalls on a 3D polymer nanomesh increases NO2 sensitivity sixfold versus planar graphene nanowalls (0.261%·ppm⁻¹ vs 0.044%·ppm⁻¹).
The nanomesh achieves a 2.4 ppm limit of detection and more than twice the response speed, while remaining flexible and breathable for wearable use such as integration into a KF94 mask.
Confinement between adjacent nanowalls traps gas molecules and forces repeated collisions, producing a transport-driven sensitivity gain that area-based models do not predict.
Wearable gas sensors need to operate sensitively at room temperature while staying mechanically compliant for long-term wear, but most existing designs rely on planar sensing layers that limit accessible surface area. The team's solution was a "3D-on-3D" architecture: graphene nanowalls grown directly onto a three-dimensional polymer nanofiber nanomesh rather than a flat film. Particle-based transport simulations pointed to why: rather than simply adding surface area, the confined wall-to-wall gaps between nanowalls trap gas molecules and force repeated collisions with the graphene surface.
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Graphene nanowalls grown on polymer nanofibers trap gas molecules longer, boosting sensitivity while preserving flexibility and breathability.
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