The　problem　of　high　operating　temperature　and　high　power　consumption　in　practical　detection　has　been　existing　in　semiconducting　CuO　based　gas　sensors.　With　sensitization　of　noble　metals,　Au　nanoparticles　loaded　CuO　nanorods　with　different　concentrations　were　prepared　with　an　easy　two-step　method.　The　crystal　structure,　morphology,　nanosize,　and　chemical　composition　of　the　samples　were　examined　by　XRD,　FESEM,　TEM,　and　XPS　respectively.　The　CuO　nanorod　was　loaded　with　a　single　gold　nanoparticle　with　the　Au-loading　concentration　of　2　mol%.　This　2　mol%　Au　loaded　CuO　nanorod　sample　exhibited　enhanced　NO2　sensing　performance,　which　can　obtain　the　same　peak　response　4.3　to　5　ppm　NO2　at　a　lower　temperature　of　100　°C　as　compared　with　that　of　the　pure　CuO　nanorods　at　150　°C.　Meanwhile,　the　response/recovery　speed　and　selectivity　were　also　promoted.　More　importantly,　Au　loaded　CuO　nanorods　can　realize　NO2　detection　in　room　temperature　(25　°C).　The　low-temperature　sensitization　mechanism　with　Au-loading　was　also　investigated.　©　2022　Elsevier　B.V.