rGO doped MOFs-derived CuO nanocomposites as flexible room-temperature sensors for ppb-level H2S detection

Metal semiconductor oxides (MOSs) derived from metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) possess unique internal structure that offer great potential for development in the sensing fields. In this study, we synthesized reduced graphene oxide (rGO) doped nanocubic CuO with Cu(II)-BTC as a sacrificial template. The rGO/CuO-10 flexible sensor exhibits 30-fold improvement in response to 10 ppm H2S at room temperature (RT) compared to pure CuO and theoretical detection limit down to 10 ppb. The sensor also maintains good stability when bent at different angles. The response enhancement can be owed to the composition of p-p heterostructure between rGO and CuO, the two-dimensional layered structure of rGO and the special morphology of CuO. Consequently, this study provides insights into preparation of flexible sensors based on MOFs-derived MOSs to detect H2S at RT.