Nano Express
Pd Nanoparticles and Thin Films for Room Temperature Hydrogen Sensor
1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
2 Clean Energy Research Center, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
3 Nano High Tech Research Centre, Toyota Technological Institute, Hisakata 2-Chome, Tempaku-Ku, Nagoya, 4688511, Japan
Nanoscale Research Letters 2009, 4:1191-1196 doi:10.1007/s11671-009-9379-6
Published: 1 July 2009Abstract
We report the application of palladium nanoparticles and thin films for hydrogen sensor. Electrochemically grown palladium particles with spherical shapes deposited on Si substrate and sputter deposited Pd thin films were used to detect hydrogen at room temperature. Grain size dependence of H2sensing behavior has been discussed for both types of Pd films. The electrochemically grown Pd nanoparticles were observed to show better hydrogen sensing response than the sputtered palladium thin films. The demonstration of size dependent room temperature H2sensing paves the ways to fabricate the room temperature metallic and metal–metal oxide semiconductor sensor by tuning the size of metal catalyst in mixed systems. H2sensing by the Pd nanostructures is attributed to the chemical and electronic sensitization mechanisms.
