Flexible porous PDMS–CNT frameworks with flash-decorated Pd nanoparticles for high-performance hydrogen sensing

Abstract

The growing demand for hydrogen-based energy necessitates the development of high-performance sensors to detect hydrogen leakage in real time for preventing explosion hazards. In this article, we present a high-performance hydrogen-sensing platform based on a porous polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)–carbon nanotube (CNT) composite decorated with palladium (Pd) nanoparticles using a flashlamp-assisted reduction process. The porous PDMS structure, fabricated using a sacrificial sugar particle template, provides a large specific surface area that enhances the interaction with the hydrogen gas. The Pd@CNT composite significantly improves the sensing performance by enhancing the spillover effect. Unlike the conventional thermal annealing processes for metal particle production, the flashlamp-assisted reduction process allows the rapid and defect-free decoration of Pd nanoparticles onto the CNT-coated porous PDMS support while maintaining the structural integrity of the support. The optimized sensor exhibits rapid response and recovery times (6.7 and 23.3 s, respectively) at 3% hydrogen concentration and retains long-term stability over 100 hydrogen exposure cycles. This approach offers a room-temperature, low-power hydrogen-sensing solution with enhanced durability and efficiency. The developed sensor has significant prospects in wearable chemical sensors and hydrogen safety systems and can inspire the development of more reliable and practical hydrogen detection technologies.