Abstract
Monitoring ultralow nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) concentrations is crucial for air quality management and public health. However, the existing NO(2) gas sensors have several defects, like high cost and power consumption, and exhibit poor selectivity. This study addresses these challenges by presenting a novel hexadecafluorinated iron phthalocyanine-reduced graphene oxide (FePcF(16)-rGO) covalent hybrid sensor for NO(2) detection. This innovative approach, which overcomes the limitations of fabrication cost, energy efficiency, and gas selectivity, is a significant step forward in gas sensor technology. The sensor demonstrates exceptional sensitivity toward ultralow NO(2) concentrations (15.14% response for 100 ppb) with a rapid 60 s UV light-induced recovery. Additionally, the sensor exhibits high selectivity for NO(2), achieving a limit of detection (LOD) of 8.59 ppb. This approach paves the way for developing cost-effective, energy-efficient, and miniature NO(2) monitoring devices for improved environmental monitoring and enhanced safety in workplaces where NO(2) exposure is a concern.