Abstract
Titanium oxide coatings (TiO2) have photocatalytic properties. They eject electrons when activated by ultraviolet light and can vary their electrical conductance as a result. In a gas media environment, coating conductance can be potentially altered by the presence of volatile analytes that attach or interact with the coatings. Our group is investigating the possible use of these coatings for the detection of a variety of molecules present in the gas. This sensing process, however, can be greatly influenced by the simultaneous presence of water molecules in the gas. Here we have studied the effect of the ambient humidity on the coatings’ conductance and the results showed a very dramatic effect with over 100 fold increase in conductance when going from low to high gas relative humidity.