Room-temperature self-powered ethanol sensor based on the piezo-surface coupling effect of heterostructured α-Fe2O3/ZnO nanowires

• Room-temperature ethanol sensing with high sensitivity has been realized.
• Self-powered gas sensors have been fabricated, and no external power is needed.
• The sensing performance is very high.
• New piezo-surface coupling effect of heterostructures.

At room temperature, high sensitivity for detecting ethanol has been achieved from α-Fe2O3/ZnO nanowire piezo-nanogenerator as self-powered gas sensor. Such ethanol sensing can be ascribed to piezo-surface coupling effect of the heterostructured nanocomposites. The results demonstrate a novel approach for room-temperature ethanol sensors and promote the development of self-powered sensing.