Copper oxide nanofibres for detection of hydrogen peroxide vapour at high concentrations

We present a sensor concept based on copper(II)oxide (CuO) nanofibres for the detection of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) vapour in the percent per volume (% v/v) range. The fibres were produced by using the electrospinning technique. To avoid water condensation in the pores, the fibres were initially modified by an exposure to H 2 S to get an enclosed surface. By a thermal treatment at 350 °C the fibres were oxidised back to CuO. Thereby, the visible pores disappear which was verified by SEM analysis. The fibres show a decrease of resistance with increasing H 2 O 2 concentration which is due to the fact that hydrogen peroxide is an oxidising gas and CuO a p‐type semiconductor. The sensor shows a change of resistance within the minute range to the exposure until the maximum concentration of 6.9% v/v H 2 O 2 . At operating temperatures below 450 °C the corresponding sensor response to a concentration of 4.1% v/v increases. The sensor shows a good reproducibility of the signal at different measurements. CuO seems to be a suitable candidate for the detection of H 2 O 2 vapour at high concentrations. Resistance behaviour of the sensor under exposure to H 2 O 2 vapours between 2.3 and 6.9% v/v at an operating temperature of 450 °C.