Selective and sensitive detection of trimethylamine using ZnO-In2O3 composite nanofibers

Abstract Three different compositions of ZnO–In 2 O 3 composite nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning, and their gas sensing characteristics were compared to those of pure ZnO and In 2 O 3 nanofibers. All ZnO–In 2 O 3 composite nanofibers showed high response to trimethylamine (TMA), relatively low cross-response to C 2 H 5 OH, and negligible cross-responses to CO and H 2 ; pure ZnO or In 2 O 3 nanofibers did not show selective detection of TMA. The maximum responses to 5 ppm TMA of the ZnO–In 2 O 3 composite nanofibers with the compositions of [Zn]:[In] = 67:33, 50:50, and 33:67 by at% were 133.9 at 300 °C, 82.9 at 350 °C, and 119.4 at 375 °C, respectively. Considering all the sensing characteristics such as gas response, selectivity, and sensing/recovering kinetics together, the operation of the ZnO–In 2 O 3 nanofiber sensor with the composition of [Zn]:[In] = 33:67 by at% at 375 °C was determined to be in optimal condition to detect TMA. The significant enhancement of gas response and selectivity by the formation of composite nanofibers is discussed in relation to the variation of particle size, the formation of hetero-interfaces between ZnO and In 2 O 3 , and the combination of two sensing materials with different catalytic properties, gas adsorption behaviors, and acid–base properties.

[1]  Guido Faglia,et al.  Gas-sensitive properties of thin film heterojunction structures based on Fe2O3–In2O3 nanocomposites , 2003 .

[2]  K. Kikuta,et al.  Gas sensing properties of platinum dispersed-TiO2 thin film derived from precursor , 2000 .

[3]  Shiming Liang,et al.  Trimethylamine sensing properties of CdO–Fe2O3 nano-materials prepared using co-precipitation method in the presence of PEG400 , 2010 .

[4]  A. Cornet,et al.  Mesoporous catalytic filters for semiconductor gas sensors , 2003 .

[5]  Chan Woong Na,et al.  Highly sensitive and selective trimethylamine sensor using one-dimensional ZnO–Cr2O3 hetero-nanostructures , 2012, Nanotechnology.

[6]  T. Ma,et al.  Work function of In2O3 film as determined from internal photoemission , 1980 .

[7]  Yoshitake Nishi,et al.  Trimethylamine biosensor with flavin-containing monooxygenase type 3 (FMO3) for fish-freshness analysis , 2004 .

[8]  Makoto Egashira,et al.  Basic Aspects and Challenges of Semiconductor Gas Sensors , 1999 .

[9]  H. Shui,et al.  Trimethylamine sensing properties of nano-LaFeO3 prepared using solid-state reaction in the presence of PEG400 , 2009 .

[10]  Dingsan Gao,et al.  WO3 thin film sensor prepared by sol-gel technique and its low-temperature sensing properties to trimethylamine , 2001 .

[11]  Anderson Janotti,et al.  Fundamentals of zinc oxide as a semiconductor , 2009 .

[12]  Ji Haeng Yu,et al.  Selective CO gas detection of SnO2–Zn2SnO4 composite gas sensor , 2001 .

[13]  K. Vijayamohanan,et al.  Morphological and sensing properties of spray-pyrolysed Th:SnO2 thin films , 2004 .

[14]  Hidehito Nanto,et al.  Aluminum-doped ZnO thin film gas sensor capable of detecting freshness of sea foods , 1993 .

[15]  Yun Chan Kang,et al.  Design of selective gas sensors using electrospun Pd-doped SnO2 hollow nanofibers , 2010 .

[16]  Yun Chan Kang,et al.  Ultrasensitive and selective C2H5OH sensors using Rh-loaded In2O3 hollow spheres , 2011 .

[17]  Victor V. Sysoev,et al.  Percolating SnO2 nanowire network as a stable gas sensor: Direct comparison of long-term performance versus SnO2 nanoparticle films , 2009 .

[18]  G. Qiao,et al.  High performance ethanol sensing films fabricated from ZnO and In2O3 nanofibers with a double-layer structure , 2012 .

[19]  Peng Wang,et al.  Highly Photocatalytic ZnO/In2O3 Heteronanostructures Synthesized by a Coprecipitation Method , 2009 .

[20]  Chao-Nan Xu,et al.  Grain size effects on gas sensitivity of porous SnO2-based elements , 1991 .

[21]  Yun Chan Kang,et al.  Highly selective and sensitive detection of trimethylamine using WO3 hollow spheres prepared by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis , 2013 .

[22]  Y. Shimizu,et al.  Detection of Freshness of Fish by a Semiconductive RU / TiO2 Sensor , 1988 .

[23]  Shiming Liang,et al.  Trimethylamine sensing properties of sensors based on MoO3 microrods , 2010 .

[24]  M. Ivanovskaya,et al.  Influence of chemical composition and structural factors of Fe2O3/In2O3 sensors on their selectivity and sensitivity to ethanol☆ , 2003 .

[25]  Shenhao Chen,et al.  Enhancement of trimethylamine sensitivity of MOCVD-SnO2 thin film gas sensor by thorium , 2000 .

[26]  A. P. Rambu,et al.  Effect of In incorporation on the structural, electrical, and gas sensing properties of ZnO films , 2012, Journal of Materials Science.

[27]  M. Falasconi,et al.  Gas-sensitive properties of thin and thick film sensors based on Fe2O3–SnO2 nanocomposites , 2004 .

[28]  Seok-Jin Yoon,et al.  Preparation of multi-compositional gas sensing films by combinatorial solution deposition , 2008 .

[29]  Chii-Wann Lin,et al.  Fabrication of NOx gas sensors using In2O3-ZnO composite films , 2010 .

[30]  Yangong Zheng,et al.  Formaldehyde gas sensor based on SnO2/In2O3 hetero-nanofibers by a modified double jets electrospinning process , 2012 .

[31]  Y. Shimizu,et al.  Semiconductor dimethylamine gas sensors with high sensitivity and selectivity , 1995 .

[32]  Kengo Shimanoe,et al.  Sensing properties of SnO2–Co3O4 composites to CO and H2 , 2004 .

[33]  J. H. Lee,et al.  Highly sensitive and selective trimethylamine sensors using Ru-doped SnO2 hollow spheres , 2012 .

[34]  J. H. Lee,et al.  Gas sensors using hierarchical and hollow oxide nanostructures: Overview , 2009 .

[35]  R. Egdell,et al.  Band gap, electronic structure, and surface electron accumulation of cubic and rhombohedral In2O3 , 2009 .

[36]  Il-Doo Kim,et al.  Thin-walled NiO tubes functionalized with catalytic Pt for highly selective C2H5OH sensors using electrospun fibers as a sacrificial template. , 2011, Chemical communications.

[37]  Dianqing Li,et al.  Methane gas-sensing and catalytic oxidation activity of SnO2–In2O3 nanocomposites incorporating TiO2 , 2008 .

[38]  Li Liu,et al.  High toluene sensing properties of NiO–SnO2 composite nanofiber sensors operating at 330 °C , 2011 .

[39]  Chan Woong Na,et al.  Selective detection of NO2 and C2H5OH using a Co3O4-decorated ZnO nanowire network sensor. , 2011, Chemical communications.

[40]  Seok-Jin Yoon,et al.  The selective detection of C2H5OH using SnO2–ZnO thin film gas sensors prepared by combinatorial solution deposition , 2007 .

[41]  Jong‐Heun Lee,et al.  Transformation of ZnO nanobelts into single-crystalline Mn3O4 nanowires. , 2012, ACS applied materials & interfaces.

[42]  Y. Shimizu,et al.  Trimethylamine-sensing mechanism of TiO2-based sensors 3. Temperature programmed desorption behaviour of trimethylamine and variation of sensitivity with sensor thickness , 1993 .

[43]  H. Shui,et al.  Trimethylamine sensing properties of nano-SnO2 prepared using microwave heating method , 2010 .

[44]  Richard J. Ewen,et al.  Thick film organic vapour sensors based on binary mixtures of metal oxides , 2003 .

[45]  N. Bârsan,et al.  Conduction Model of Metal Oxide Gas Sensors , 2001 .

[46]  Himadri Sekhar Maiti,et al.  Selective detection of methane and butane by temperature modulation in iron doped tin oxide sensors , 2006 .

[47]  Soumen Basu,et al.  ZnO thin film sensors for detecting dimethyl- and trimethyl-amine vapors , 2004 .

[48]  Giuliano Martinelli,et al.  PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF SNO2 AND MOOX-SNO2 NANOSIZED POWDERS FOR THICK FILM GAS SENSORS , 1999 .

[49]  L. Chen,et al.  Gas‐Sensing Properties of Th / SnO2 Thin‐Film Gas Sensor to Trimethylamine , 1999 .

[50]  Younan Xia,et al.  Electrospinning of Nanofibers: Reinventing the Wheel? , 2004 .

[51]  Tobin J. Marks,et al.  Interface studies of ZnO nanowire transistors using low-frequency noise and temperature-dependent I-V measurements , 2008 .

[52]  Chan Woong Na,et al.  Design of highly sensitive volatile organic compound sensors by controlling NiO loading on ZnO nanowire networks , 2012 .

[53]  Noboru Yamazoe,et al.  Toward innovations of gas sensor technology , 2005 .

[54]  Tae-Ha Kwon,et al.  Zinc oxide thin film doped with Al2O3, TiO2 and V2O5 as sensitive sensor for trimethylamine gas , 1998 .

[55]  Wei‐De Zhang,et al.  Fabrication of SnO2–ZnO nanocomposite sensor for selective sensing of trimethylamine and the freshness of fishes , 2008 .