Flexible room-temperature resistive humidity sensor based on silver nanoparticles

In this work, a low-cost and flexible room-temperature humidity sensor was developed from pure resistive silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized through a simple green route using Pistia stratiotes extract as a reducing agent for AgNO₃ under light illuminations. UV–Vis spectroscopic results showed that various synthesis parameters including AgNO₃ concentration, reaction time, pH value and light irradiation strongly affected on the formation of AgNPs. AgNPs were also confirmed to exhibit spherical shapes with different sizes depending on pH by transmission electron microscopy. To fabricate the sensor, AgNPs were deposited on a transparent polyethylene substrate with pre-patterned Ag interdigitated electrodes via a drop coating method. From humidity-sensing results, the flexible pure AgNPs sensor exhibited high sensitivity to relative humidity (RH) with high repeatability and stability at room temperature. Moreover, the sensor electrical resistance and sensor response showed linear relationships to RH in the range of 20–85% with short response and recovery times of 10 s and 11 s, respectively. (paper)