Integrated theoretical and experimental investigation of Mn-doped reduced graphene oxide for high-performance ammonia gas sensing
摘要
In this study, a combined theoretical and experimental investigation was carried out to assess the NH3 sensing performance of graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and their manganese-doped rGO (Mn–rGO). Theoretical results indicated that GO exhibited limited sensitivity toward NH3 adsorption, while rGO showed improved adsorption behavior. Based on these findings, rGO was chosen as the substrate for experimental sensing studies. Further theoretical analysis revealed that Mn-rGO exhibited the most favorable structural and electronic properties for NH3 interaction among the materials evaluated. Experimentally, GO was synthesized using the Hummer’s method, and Mn-rGO was fabricated via a hydrothermal route. The successful formation and composition of the materials were confirmed through a range of characterization techniques, including XRD, FTIR, FESEM, EDS, HRTEM, and UV–Vis spectroscopy. Gas sensing performance was evaluated using I–V measurements, which showed good agreement with theoretical predictions. The sensitivity of rGO and Mn–rGO to NH3 gas was found to be 60% and 2480%, respectively. The remarkably high sensitivity of Mn-rGO highlights its strong potential as a promising material for NH3 gas sensing applications.