Highly sensitive NH3 gas sensors based on novel polypyrrole-coated SnO2 nanosheet nanocomposites

Abstract Nanocomposites of SnO 2 nanosheets and polypyrrole (PPy) were facilely prepared and their gas sensing properties towards low concentration of NH 3 have been investigated at room temperature. Vertically aligned SnO 2 nanosheets were in situ grown on the substrates via hydrothermal treatment of electrospun nanofibers containing SnCl 2 precursors at a low temperature (135 °C), and coated with PPy by vapor phase polymerization of pyrrole. The SnO 2 nanosheets and the nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction patterns, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy and high resolution transmission microscopy. The nanocomposite sensors exhibited much higher response magnitude towards NH 3 than the sensors based on PPy alone. The effect of the type of doping acids and polymerization time of pyrrole on the sensing properties of the nanocomposites was examined. The nanocomposite sensors revealed sensitive (sensitivity of ∼6.2%/ppm in the range of 1–10.7 ppm of NH 3 , detection limit of ∼257 ppb), selective and repeatable response to NH 3 , and the sensing mechanism has been explored. This work could provide references for the facile preparation of advanced gas sensors based on in situ grown nanostructured metal-oxide semiconductors and their composites.

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