Ultrafast response humidity sensor using supramolecular nanofibre and

its application in monitoring breath humidity and flow.

Umesha Mogera1, Abhay A. Sagade#, Subi J. George2, Giridhar U. Kulkarni1
1

Chemistry and Physics of Materials Unit and Thematic Unit on Nanochemistry, Jawaharlal

Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur P.O., Bangalore 560064, India.
2

Supramolecular Chemistry Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for

Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur P.O., Bangalore 560064, India.

Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to G.U.K (email:
kulkarni@jncasr.ac.in).

Supplementary Table S1. High performance humidity sensors reported in the literature.

Ref
No

Time (s)
Active material

Type*

Rs

Rr

Sensitivity

Flow rate
(sccm)

1. Inorganic Materials
1

VS2 ultrathin nanosheets

30-40

12-50

30

8-12

20-25

~23

150

V2O5 nanotubes
LiCl Doped TiO2 electrospun
nanofibers

~ 6600

SnO2 NW

120-170

35 @ 85%

Al doped n- ZnS

95-203

20-60
2091185

200 @90%

200

TiO2/LiCl thin film

SAW

0.75

100

Porous TiO2

1.19 M/%RH

CeO2 nanowires

85@97%

Amorphous Al2O3 nanotubes

10

20

10000

10

Si thin film

0.2

10000

11

Al2O3 thin films

0.042

950

27000

12

TiO2 interdigitated

0.22

0.4

1000

5000

13

TiO2 thin film

0.050

19nF/%RH

2000

14

Amorphous TiO2

0.275

0.297

1000 @ 92%

2500

15

Amorphous SiO2

0.231

0.229

1000@92%

2500

16

Amorphous Al2O3

0.087

0.104

1000@92%

2500

17

ZnO nanorods

20

183

18

VO2 (M) nanostructures

5-8

2-3

50@97%

19

MgFe2O4 thin films @ 800C

20888

20

ZnO thin film

12

42,678

21

TiO2 nanofilms

0.064

1.440

1000

2500

22

Agarose coated optic fiber

0.05

23

Chiral sculptured thin films

0.140

1.2

60

24

Na2TiO3O7 nanowires

10000

25

BaTiO3 nanofiber

20

120

26

Graphene oxide

0.03

450

0.03

2. Organic Materials
27

Electrospun TiO2 nanofiber

150 M/%RH

28

Nafion perfluorosulfonate

0.04

0.03

500

200-500

29 Nanoporous polymeric gratings

0.35

43

30

Polyimide columns

3750ppm/%RH

31

Polymeric photonic crystals

Polyimide (interdigitated

1.5

20-30

80

*R: Resistive, C: Capacitive, I: Impedance, O: Optical, M: mass. SAW: Surface Acoustic Wave

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Supplementary Figure S1. The current through a nanofibre film device as a function of RH at
0.8 V.

Supplementary

Figure

S2. Long time

stability

of the nanofibre

device.

Current-Voltage (I-V) characteristics of a nanofibre device measured after 4 and 8 months.

Supplementary Figure S3. Effect of environmental temperature (between 10 C to 50 C) on

the stability of device.
The resistance of the device varied as a function of temperature at ambient humidity and this has
been studied in detail previously from the group (ref: A Sagade et al. Adv. Mater. 25, 559564,
(2013)). As shown above, at RH of 50%, the device was stable with nA current below 40C and

the current dropped to 10-12 A at higher temperatures. However, importantly, the device could be
brought back by lowering the temperature when the current recovered.

Supplementary Figure S4. The variations in the width and height of nanofibres numbered 1, 2,
3, and 4 in AFM image with change in the RH. Scale bar: 500 nm, z scale: 20 nm.

Supplementary Figure S5. The sensitivity of a few nanofibre device as a function of RH.

Supplementary Figure S6. (a) and (b). Calibration of voltage measured with varying RH for
the devices D1 and D2 respectively. The voltage was measured using a oscilloscope across 20
M resistor connected to each device in series. As the humidity reaches the devices the current
through the circuit increases and hence voltage drop across the resistor increases. The red curve
is 1st order exponentially fit and inset shown is equation and constants corresponding to it. c.

Calibration plot of the variation of time delay, t, with flow rate. The standard flow rate was
obtained using mass flow controller. The red curve is the 1 st order exponential fit and
corresponding equation and constants are shown in inset.

Calculation of RH and flow rate values from calibration plots:

For calculation of RH, every peak value, V1, corresponding to every breath was noted down and
converted to RH using calibration equation (derived from device D1).

RH ( )=29.59ln (

V 1+0.0447
)
0.0217

For calculation of flow rate, time difference, t was calculated for every breath and converted
into flow rate using the equation below:

Flow=237.3ln

16
( t53.93
0.758 )

where 16 is the divided flow factor.

S7. Exercise induced dehydration

Volunteer 1

Supplementary

Figure S7a. A portion

of continuous breathing cycles (10 cycles) from the volunteer1 (male) at different stages of
exercise. a. before exercise. b. just after exercise. c. after 1 hr of exercise. d. after 4 hr of
exercise where the person is allowed to take diet and retain back normal conditions.

Volunteer 2

Supplementary

Figure S7b. A

portion of continuous breathing cycles (10 cycles) from the volunteer2 (female) at different
stages of exercise. a. before exercise. b. just after exercise. c. after 1 hr of exercise. d. after 4 hr
of exercise where the volunteer is allowed to take diet and retain back normal conditions.
Initially, volunteers in normal condition was asked to breath continuously and readings were
recorded for over 30 50 cycles. They were asked to undergo exercise till the volunteer feels the
thirsty condition and after a while readings were recorded. They were kept in the dehydrating
condition without consuming any drink or food including water for a period of next 1 hr and

recorded the breathing cycles. After this, the volunteers were allowed to take normal diet and
water. After 4 hrs, once the volunteer attains his normal condition breathing cycles were again
recorded.
S8. Alcohol induced dehydration

Volunteer
3

Supplementary Figure S8a. A portion of continuous breathing cycles (10 cycles) from a male
volunteer 3 at different stages of alcohol consumption. a. before consumption. b. just after
consumption. c. after 1 hr of consumption. d. after 2 hr of consumption. e. after 4 hr of
consumption. f. after 20 hr of consumption where the person is allowed to take food and retain
back normal conditions.
Volunteer 4

Supplementary Figure S8b. A portion of continuous breathing cycles (10 cycles) from a male
volunteer 4 at different stages of alcohol consumption. a. before consumption. b. just after
consumption. c. after 1 hr of consumption. d. after 2 hr of consumption. e. after 4 hr of
consumption. f. after 20 hr of consumption where the person is allowed to take food and retain
back normal conditions. Here the volunteers 3 and 4 were chosen for the experiment. The
breathing cycles were recorded before and after consumption of alcohol at different time

intervals i.e. just after, after1 hr, after 2 hr and after 4 hr. During this period, volunteers were
restrained from consuming any food and water to keep the volunteer in dehydrating conditions.
After this, they were allowed to drink water and common diet. At the end, after 20 hr of alcohol
consumption when the volunteers regain their normal conditions, breathing cycles were again
recorded.

Supplementary Table S2. BAC (%) (Breath Alcohol Concentration) of volunteers at different
stages of alcohol consumption measured using an alcohol meter.
Before

Just after

alcohol

alcohol

Volunteer 1

Volunteer 2

After 1 hr

After 2 hr

After 4 hr

After 20 hr

0.05

0.12

0.08

0.07

0.04

0.13

0.09

0.07

Supplementary Figure S9. Histogram showing variation in RH in exhaled breath of a volunteer

undergoing hyperhydration. Initially, the volunteer was thirsty. After making the volunteer drink
half a liter of ORS (Electral) dissolved in water, further measurements were recorded. The
improving RH in the breath is evident.