V2CTX MXene-based hybrid sensor with high selectivity and ppb-level detection for acetone at room temperature

High-performance, room temperature-based novel sensing materials are one of the frontier research topics in the gas sensing field, and MXenes, a family of emerging 2D layered materials, has gained widespread attention due to their distinctive properties. In this work, we propose a chemiresistive gas sensor made from V 2 CT x MXene-derived, urchin-like V 2 O 5 hybrid materials (V 2 C/V 2 O 5 MXene) for gas sensing applications at room temperature. The as-prepared sensor exhibited high performance when used as the sensing material for acetone detection at room temperature. Furthermore, the V 2 C/V 2 O 5 MXene-based sensor exhibited a higher response (S% = 11.9%) toward 15 ppm acetone than pristine multilayer V 2 CT x MXenes (S% = 4.6%). Additionally, the composite sensor demonstrated a low detection level at ppb levels (250 ppb) at room temperature, as well as high selectivity among different interfering gases, fast response-recovery time, good repeatability with minimal amplitude fluctuation, and excellent long-term stability. These improved sensing properties can be attributed to the possible formation of H-bonds in multilayer V 2 C MXenes, the synergistic effect of the newly formed composite of urchin-like V 2 C/V 2 O 5 MXene sensor, and high charge carrier transport at the interface of V 2 O 5 and V 2 C MXene.