Light-Assisted Room-Temperature NO2 Sensors Based on Black Sheet-Like NiO

In this study, we use two-dimensional black flake nickel oxide as the sensitive material which was synthesized by a facile hydrothermal route. The as-synthesized sheet-like NiO possessed a large specific surface area, as verified by BET characterization. The as-prepared NiO nanosheets had strong absorption in the range of 250–800 nm including UV and visible light. Upon exposure to ppb-level NO2, the presented sensors showed significant responses under light illumination at room temperature. In addition, the light wavelength also had a remarkable effect on the sensing performance in terms of sensitivity, response and recovery kinetics. Furthermore, the sensor showed a low humidity dependence.