Optical probes based on optical fibers and single-walled carbon nanotubes for hydrogen detection at cryogenic temperatures

Preliminary results on the feasibility to use optical fiber sensors coated by single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs)-based sensitive materials for hydrogen detection at cryogenic temps. are presented. The optical probes were realized by the Langmuir-Blodgett deposition of close-end and open-end SWCNTs on the distal end of std. optical fibers. The results obtained from hydrogen detection testing, carried out at a temp. „d113 K, demonstrate the excellent potentiality of the proposed configuration to sense very low percentages of gaseous hydrogen ( < 5%), with good recovery and reversibility features as well as fast response times.