WS2-Pt Nanostructure-Based Composite for Hydrogen Gas Sensing with Ultra-Fast Response and Recovery Rates

Abstract

Hydrogen is regarded as a secondary energy carrier derived from hydrogen evolution reactions. To ensure safety when utilizing this hazardous gas, hydrogen gas sensors with rapid response and recovery times, high sensor sensitivity, and stability are essential. A high surface-to-volume ratio with complete adsorption and desorption of ions renders WS2 a promising candidate for hydrogen gas sensor applications. This study introduces a novel high-performance hydrogen gas sensor based on a metal sulfide-platinum (WS2-Pt) composite. The WS2-Pt composite was successfully synthesized using a solution-based process and spin-coating techniques. WS2-Pt nanostructures were densely distributed on a gallium nitride/sapphire substrate, and a hydrogen sensing device was fabricated. The metal sulfide/platinum composite demonstrated ultra-fast sensor response of approximately 3 s toward 500 ppm hydrogen with a satisfactory sensor sensitivity. The response rate was notably encouraging. This research represents the first attempt in the sensor domain to enhance the performance of hydrogen sensing devices using metal sulfide/Pt active layers.