Design and fabrication of highly selective H 2 sensors based on SIM-1 nanomembrane-coated ZnO nanowires

•We report on the preparation of a novel ZnO-based semiconductor sensor.•This sensor is modified by a thin SIM-1 hydrogen selective membrane.•The membrane serves as an efficient molecular sieving layer.•The sensor showed remarkable selectivity towards H2 at high temperatures (300 °C).