Advancement in Functionalized Electrospun Nanofiber-Based Gas Sensors: A Review

In recent years, electrospinning technology has sparked a revolution in the nanoengineering of gas-sensing materials. Nanofibers based on metal oxide semiconductors, carbon materials, or conductive polymers prepared by the electrospinning process have exhibited inspiring properties, including a large specific surface area, porous structure, and nice stability, with bright application prospects in advanced gas sensors. Meanwhile, the increasingly expanding applications of gas sensors, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), the food industry, disease diagnosis, etc., have raised higher sensor performance requirements. To further enhance the gas-sensing performance of nanofibers, the scheme of functionalized nanofiber strategies, either in electrospinning or post-treatment, has been proposed and verified. This review systematically summarized the nanostructures, gas-sensing properties, and functional mechanisms of modified nanofibers. Additionally, the perspectives and challenges regarding electrospun nanofibers for gas sensing were discussed.