Exhaled breath gas sensing using pristine and functionalized WO3 nanowire sensors enhanced by UV-light irradiation

The development of advanced metal-oxide-semiconductor sensing technologies for the detection of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) present in exhaled breath is of great importance for non-invasive, cheap and fast medical diagnostics. Our experimental studies investigate the effects of operating temperature selection and UV-light irradiation on improving the response of WO3 nanowire sensors towards exhaled breath exposure. Herein, six WO3 nanowire sensors (both pristine and doped with a range of metal nanoparticles such as Pt, Au, Au/Pt, Ni and Fe) were synthesised via Aerosol-Assisted Chemical Vapour Deposition (AACVD) and characterized by means of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX-ray). Breath measurements were performed in the dark and under UV-light irradiation at various sensor operating temperatures. The results demonstrate that UV-light irradiation combined with the optimisation of the sensors' operating temperature can greatly enhance the sensors' responses towards breath exposure.