Hydrogen-sensing response of grass-like carbon nanotube/nickel nanostructure by microwave treatment

A grass-like carbon nanotube/nickel (CNT/Ni) sensor treated by microwave (MW) technique to enhance hydrogen (H2) gas-sensing response was used. A leaf-like CNT/Ni nanostructure was changed into a grass-like CNT/Ni nanostructure through the MW treatment technique in order to enhance the H2 sensor response. The H2 gas sensing characteristics of grass-like CNT/Ni were found to have a much higher sensor response of ∼11% at 1000 ppm H2 gas, approximately 33 times greater than that of leaf-like CNT/Ni (∼0.33%) without MW treatment. The MW technique is simple, energy-efficient at low temperature (58 °C), and effectively enhances the sensing response of CNT/Ni sensors.