Bulk-Processed Pd Nanocube-Poly(methyl methacrylate) Nanocomposites as Plasmonic Plastics for Hydrogen Sensing

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Miles

Nanoplasmonic hydrogen sensors are positioned as key components of safety systems in the emerging hydrogen economy. The work leverages Pd nanoparticles as an active material that forms hydride under ambient conditions, producing optical contrast. A plasmonic plastic nanocomposite is introduced by combining hydrogensensitive Pd nanocubes with a poly(methyl methacrylate) matrix, optimized from atomic-scale characterization to macroscopic performance. Melt-processed sensors remain fully functional after 50 weeks.

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Bulk-Processed Pd Nanocube-Poly(methyl methacrylate) Nanocompositesas Plasmonic Plastics for Hydrogen Sensing Downloaded from: [https://research.chalmers.se](https://research.chalmers.se), 2026-09-21 14:46 UTC Citation for the original published paper (version of record): Darmadi, I., Stolas, A., Östergren, I. et al (2020) . Bulk-Processed Pd Nanocube-Poly(methyl methacrylate) Nanocomposites as Plasmonic Plastics for Hydrogen Sensing. ACS Applied Nano Materials, 3(8): 8438-8445. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsanm.0c01907](http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsanm.0c01907) N. B. When citing this work, cite the original published paper. research.chalmers.se offers the possibility of retrieving research publications produced at Chalmers University of Technology. It covers all kind of research output: articles, dissertations, conference papers, reports etc. since 2004. research.chalmers.se is administrated and maintained by Chalmers Library (article starts on next page) This is an open access article published under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the author and source are cited. [www.acsanm.org](www.acsanm.org) Article Bulk-Processed Pd Nanocube−Poly(methyl methacrylate) Nanocomposites as Plasmonic Plastics for Hydrogen Sensing Iwan Darmadi,\# Alicja Stolás,\# Ida ̈Ostergren,\# Barbara Berke, Ferry Anggoro Ardy Nugroho, Matteo Minelli, Sarah Lerch, Irem Tanyeli, Anja Lund, Olof Andersson, Vladimir P. Zhdanov, Marianne Liebi, Kasper Moth-Poulsen,* Christian M̈uller,* and Christoph Langhammer * Cite This: ACS Appl. Nano Mater. 2020, 3, 8438−8445 Read Online See [https://pubs.acs.org/sharingguidelines](https://pubs.acs.org/sharingguidelines) for options on how to legitimately share published articles. ACCESS Metrics & More Article Recommendations *sı Supporting Information ABSTRACT: Nanoplasmonic hydrogen sensors are predicted to play a key role in safety systems of the emerging hydrogen economy. Pd nanoparticles are the active material of choice for sensor prototype development due to their ability to form a hydride at ambient conditions, which creates the optical contrast. Here, we introduce plasmonic hydrogen sensors made from a thermoplastic nanocomposite material, that is, a bulk material that can be molded with standard plastic processing techniques, such as extrusion and three-dimensional (3D) printing, while at the same time being functionalized at the nanoscale. Speciﬁcally, our plasmonic plastic is composed of hydrogensensitive and plasmonically active Pd nanocubes mixed with a poly(methyl methacrylate) matrix, and we optimize it by characterization from the atomic to the macroscopic level. We demonstrate meltprocessed deactivation-resistant plasmonic hydrogen sensors, which retain full functionality even after 50 weeks. From a wider perspective, we advertise plasmonic plastic nanocomposite materials for application in a multitude of active plasmonic technologies since they provide eﬃcient scalable processing and almost endless functional material design opportunities via tailored polymer − colloidal nanocrystal combinations. KEYWORDS: plasmonic nanocomposites, nanoparticles, polymer matrix, melt processing, 3D printing, plasmonic hydrogen sensing ■ INTRODUCTION Nanoparticles supporting localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) enable a wide range of fascinating technologies, where optical bio-and chemosensors1−6 are of particular interest, and where hydrogen sensors show great promise as a key technology in the emerging hydrogen economy,6−8 since safety sensors are critical due to H2’s wide ﬂammability range in air. In this context, optical plasmonic detection is attractive since it generates no sparks due to the passive nature of the transducer and the remote readout capability of light. In this technology, the optical contrast that signals the presence of H2 in the environment

FAQs

Why are nanoplasmonic hydrogen sensors considered important for the hydrogen economy?

They are expected to support safety systems for hydrogen, using optical signals rather than spark-based sensing.

What role do Pd nanoparticles play in these hydrogen sensors?

Pd nanoparticles are preferred because they form hydrides under ambient conditions, creating optical contrast for hydrogen detection.

How are the plasmonic hydrogen sensors processed and how is durability demonstrated?

The sensors are made from a thermoplastic nanocomposite and processed by melt processing, including compatibility with standard plastic techniques, retaining full functionality even after 50 weeks.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Miles