Titanium nitride sensor for selective NO2 detection

• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-55534-x
• Publication Date: 2025-01-03T01:49:01Z
• Authors: Xuefei Zhao; Zhihang Xu; Zhaorui Zhang; Jiahao Liu; Xiaohui Yan; Ye Zhu; J. Paul Attfield; Minghui Yang
• Keywords: Nitrogen dioxide

Efficient detection methods are needed to monitor nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a major NOx pollutant from fossil fuel combustion that poses significant threats both ecology and human health. Current NO2 technologies face limitations in stability selectivity. Here, we present transition metal nitride sensor exhibits exceptional selectivity for NO2, demonstrating sensitivity 30 times greater than of the strongest interfering gas, NO. The maintains over 6 months does not utilize platinum or other precious metals. This notable performance has been achieved through preparation highly active titanium (TiNx) nanoparticles with exceptionally large surface area high concentration vacancies. By contrast, commercial sample TiN shows no gas sensing activity. Such devices potentially scalable everyday demonstrate robust high-performance sensors based on inexpensive nitrides without metals leading candidates environmental monitoring technologies. A catalytic non-precious TiNx demonstrates excellent selectivity, sensitivity, long-term stability, making it candidate technology.