Highly dispersed platinum sputtered multiwall carbon nanotubes based hydrogen gas sensor at room temperature

• Partially covering of pristine and functionalized MWCNTs by highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles by sputtering technique.
• We have compared the sensing response for H2 gas at room temperature.
• The fabricated sensors detected 0.05% concentration H2 gas.
• Verification of the Sievert's law for 0.05%–1% concentrations of H2 gas.

We present here, a simple approach for the detection of 0.05% concentration of hydrogen (H2) gas at room temperature conditions using pristine and functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). To enhance the sensitivity of the MWCNTs, platinum (Pt) nanoparticles have been sputtered on the surface of the nanotubes which helps in dissociation H2 molecules to H atoms. The structural and morphological studies of Pt deposited nanotubes were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The concentration of the deposited Pt nanoparticles on the nanotubes was determined by energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS). Also, in the present study, Sievert's law is found to be applicable for the H2 gas concentrations (0.05–1%) at room temperature condition. In addition, the influence of bombardment of energetic particles on the surface of nanotubes and its role in the uniform deposition of Pt nanoparticles on the surface of tubes were also discussed.