Chunlan Cao

Humidity sensor based on multi-walled carbon nanotube thin films

The properties of the humidity sensors made of chemically treated and untreated multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) thin films are investigated systematically. It shows that both the chemically treated and untreated MWCNT thin films demonstrate humidity sensitive properties, but the former have stronger sensitivity than the latter. In the range of 11%-98% relative humidity (RH), the resistances of the chemically treated and untreated MWCNT humidity sensors increase 120% and 28%, respectively. Moreover, the treated humidity sensors showed higher sensitivity and better stability. In addition, the response and recover properties, and stabilization of the humidity sensors are measured, and the humidity sensitive mechanisms of the sensors are analyzed. The humidity sensitivity of carbon nanotube thin films indicates it promise as a kind of humidity sensitive material.

Preparation of Fe-Doped TiO 2 Nanotube Arrays and Their Room-Temperature Ferromagnetic Properties

Fe-doped titania nanotube arrays (NTs) were fabricated by electrochemical anodization on a Ti foil using Fe(NO3)3 · 2H2O as iron source. Their morphology, structure and optical properties were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, UV-visible absorption spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The UV-visible reflection spectrum of the Fe-doped TiO2 NTs showed a red shift in wavelength of absorption and greater reflectivity compared with the undoped sample due to the Fe ion incorportion in TiO2 lattices. The photoluminescence spectrum of the Fe-doped TiO2 NTs shows two strong new peaks centered at 388 nm and 694 nm, besides the UV emission peak owing to the electronic transition mediated by the defect levels such as oxygen vacancies in the band gap. The magnetic property of the Fe-doped TiO2 NTs exhibits a room temperature ferromagnetic characteristic with a saturation magnetization (Ms) of 0.146 x 10(-2) emu/cm3 and a coercive field of 60 Oe. And the cause of the magnetic properties has been discussed in detail.