UV-activated TiO2 nanoparticles for sensitively detecting ppb-level dimethyl sulfide at room temperature

Dimethyl sulfide (DMS) is one kind of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) possessing disagreeable odor, with a low olfactory threshold around 20 ppb. Highly sensitive detection of DMS at room temperature (RT) is critically needed for emerging application with low power consumption, but it remains a significant challenge owing to its low reactivity. Herein, UV photoactivated titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles (NPs) have been employed for detecting DMS at RT. An eco-friendly ultrasonic crushing solution spray technique was developed to prepare TiO 2 based sensors. An ultrahigh response of 30–500 ppb DMS and a low experimental limit of detection ( R a / R g = 2.7@50 ppb) could be achieved at RT under UV light activation. This work opens a new avenue to achieve highly sensitive, energy-efficient sensors for trace VSCs detection at RT in ambient odor monitoring.