Hierarchical Star–Sphere ZnCo2O4/Graphene Oxide/Pt Nanocomposites for Low-Temperature Hydrogen Sensing

Hydrogen (H2) detection under practical operating conditions requires sensing materials that simultaneously provide accessible reaction sites, efficient gas diffusion pathways, and fast interfacial charge transfer. Here, a hierarchical star-sphere ZnCo2O4 (ZC) architecture was integrated with graphene oxide (GO) and Pt supported on graphitized carbon (Pt/C) to develop hybrid chemiresistive sensing layers for low-temperature hydrogen detection. The synthesized ZC-based material exhibited a hierarchical morphology consisting of porous microspheres and star-shaped assemblies, providing a multiscale framework for gas access and surface reactions. By varying the GO content from 0.1 to 1 wt% at a fixed Pt/C loading, the ZC-0.5G composite achieved the most balanced structure, with well-distributed GO sheets, preserved star–sphere morphology, the highest specific surface area (53.6 m2/g), and the largest pore volume (0.09 cm3/g). The optimized sensor gave responses of 12.96%, 19.20%, 22.87%, and 26.43% for 500, 4000, 8000 and 10,000 ppm H2 concentrations, respectively, with measurable response down to 50 ppm. The highest sensing performance was achieved at 50 °C and 60% relative humidity (RH), where the hierarchical oxide framework, GO-assisted interfacial pathways, and Pt catalytic sites acted in concert. The sensor also showed repeatable cyclic behavior and preferential response to H2 compared to methanol, isopropanol, ethanol, acetone, and dimethylformamide. The improved sensing performance is attributed to the synergistic combination of the hierarchical ZC framework, GO-assisted interfacial pathways, and Pt-assisted catalytic activation, which together facilitate gas diffusion, surface reactions, and resistance modulation.