ZnO–SnO2 nanotubes surface engineered by Ag nanoparticles: synthesis, characterization, and highly enhanced HCHO gas sensing properties

Novel Ag nanoparticles (NPs) coated ZnO–SnO2 nanotubes (NTs, diameter ∼250 nm, wall thickness ∼20 nm) were fabricated using a facile electrospinning technique together with a seed-mediated growth procedure, and the amount of surface Ag NPs was systematically controlled. They were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques, which showed that strong interactions occurred between the ZnO–SnO2 NTs and the Ag NPs. The sensing properties of the Ag coated ZnO–SnO2 NTs for HCHO gas were carefully studied and the results indicated that the sensing properties were significantly modified by the coating of Ag NPs, including a considerably decreased working temperature, a highly improved response and shortened response dynamics. The 10% Ag coated NTs gas sensor was the optimum sensor, demonstrating an enhanced response of ∼6 times that of the ZnO–SnO2 NTs, while the working temperature was decreased by about 140 °C. Additionally, it showed a very low detection limit (9 ppb) for HCHO. The main reason for the enhanced HCHO gas sensing properties was attributed to “spillover effects” between the Ag NPs and ZnO–SnO2 NTs. Overall, the Ag coated ZnO–SnO2 NTs synthesized through electrospinning make a promising ppb-level HCHO sensor and an effective indoor HCHO detector.

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