Hydrothermal synthesis of monodisperse porous cube, cake and spheroid-like α-Fe2O3 particles and their high gas-sensing properties

Abstract The monodisperse porous cube, cake and spheroid-like α-Fe 2 O 3 microparticles were successfully synthesized via a facile hydrothermal approach. The as-synthesized α-Fe 2 O 3 microparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and gas-sensing measurement device, and the results showed that the diameters of all these microparticles were around 2–3 μm. Meanwhile, the gas-sensing properties revealed that both reaction time of hydrothermal and Cu doping could remarkably enhance the performances of gas sensors. The response value of 1.0 wt% Cu-doped α-Fe 2 O 3 microcakes to 500 ppm acetone was 205.3 at 270 °C when the reaction time was 15 h, which was about 11.9 times higher than that of ammonia (about 17.3). In addition, both of the response and recovery time were within 10 s, demonstrating the sensor based on 1.0 wt% Cu-doped α-Fe 2 O 3 microcakes has a potential application for acetone detection at the reaction time of 15 h. Finally, the possible formation mechanism and gas-sensing mechanism of α-Fe 2 O 3 microstructures were proposed, too.

[1]  Xiaobo Zhang,et al.  Highly sensitive acetone sensors based on La-doped α-Fe2O3 nanotubes , 2013 .

[2]  Junlong Wang,et al.  Single crystal ellipsoidal and spherical particles of α-Fe2O3: Hydrothermal synthesis, formation mechanism, and magnetic properties , 2013 .

[3]  J. Tarascon,et al.  Nano-sized transition-metal oxides as negative-electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries , 2000, Nature.

[4]  Xuan He,et al.  Mesoporous CuO/CeO2 bimetal oxides: One-pot synthesis, characterization and their application in catalytic destruction of 1,2-dichlorobenzene , 2012 .

[5]  Tianmo Liu,et al.  Hydrogen sensing and mechanism of M-doped SnO2 (M = Cr3+, Cu2+ and Pd2+) nanocomposite , 2011 .

[6]  S. S. Kim,et al.  Competitive influence of grain size and crystallinity on gas sensing performances of ZnO nanofibers , 2013 .

[7]  Xin Wang,et al.  Self-assemble flower-like SnO2/Ag heterostructures: Correlation among composition, structure and photocatalytic activity , 2013 .

[8]  Jun Zhang,et al.  Enhanced sensor response of Ni-doped SnO2 hollow spheres , 2011 .

[9]  Hongwei Song,et al.  Porous In2O3:RE (RE = Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb) Nanotubes: Electrospinning Preparation and Room Gas-Sensing Properties , 2010 .

[10]  H. Fan,et al.  Porous thin sheet-based α-Fe2O3-doped In2O3 structures: hydrothermal synthesis and enhanced Cl2 sensing performance , 2013 .

[11]  S. Chaudhuri,et al.  Synthesis of a α-Fe2O3 nanocrystal in its different morphological attributes: growth mechanism, optical and magnetic properties , 2007 .

[12]  S. S. Kim,et al.  Micro- and nano-scale hollow TiO2 fibers by coaxial electrospinning: Preparation and gas sensing , 2011 .

[13]  Rajeev Kumar,et al.  Response speed of SnO2-based H2S gas sensors with CuO nanoparticles , 2004 .

[14]  Jun Zhang,et al.  Porous α-Fe2O3 decorated by Au nanoparticles and their enhanced sensor performance , 2010, Nanotechnology.

[15]  Jipeng Cheng,et al.  Nickel-doped tin oxide hollow nanofibers prepared by electrospinning for acetone sensing , 2014 .

[16]  Michael Tiemann,et al.  Porous metal oxides as gas sensors. , 2007, Chemistry.

[17]  Jian Gong,et al.  Preparation and formation mechanism of different α-Fe2O3 morphologies from snowflake to paired microplates, dumbbell, and spindle microstructures , 2007 .

[18]  Xun Wang,et al.  Preparation and gas sensing properties of vanadium oxide nanobelts coated with semiconductor oxides , 2006 .

[19]  Lan-sun Zheng,et al.  Twin-Crystal Nature of the Single-Crystal-Like Branched Cu2O Particles , 2008 .

[20]  Baolin Zhu,et al.  Synthesis and characterization of Pd-doped α-Fe2O3 H2S sensor with low power consumption , 2007 .

[21]  Peng Sun,et al.  Hydrothermal synthesis of 3D urchin-like α-Fe2O3 nanostructure for gas sensor , 2012 .

[22]  T. Chen,et al.  One-pot synthesis of bundle-like β-FeOOH nanorods and their transformation to porous α-Fe2O3 microspheres , 2014 .

[23]  Miroslav Mashlan,et al.  Iron(III) Oxides from Thermal ProcessesSynthesis, Structural and Magnetic Properties, Mössbauer Spectroscopy Characterization, and Applications† , 2002 .

[24]  Jin Li,et al.  Multilayered ZnO Nanosheets with 3D Porous Architectures: Synthesis and Gas Sensing Application , 2010 .

[25]  Jun Zhang,et al.  Facile Synthesis of Porous α-Fe2O3 Nanorods and Their Application in Ethanol Sensors , 2008 .

[26]  N. Yamazoe,et al.  Cu-doped α-Fe2O3 hierarchical microcubes: Synthesis and gas sensing properties , 2014 .

[27]  Y. Zhai,et al.  Low temperature solution-based synthesis of porous flower-like α-Fe2O3 superstructures and their excellent gas-sensing properties , 2011 .

[28]  Chinmay A. Deshmane,et al.  Microwave-assisted synthesis of nanocrystalline mesoporous gallium oxide , 2010 .

[29]  K. Asai,et al.  Preparation of S-doped TiO2 photocatalysts and their photocatalytic activities under visible light , 2004 .

[30]  Xianghong Liu,et al.  Porous α-Fe2O3 hollow microspheres and their application for acetone sensor , 2010 .

[31]  M. Mohammadikish.  Hydrothermal synthesis, characterization and optical properties of ellipsoid shape α-Fe2O3 nanocrystals , 2014 .

[32]  Meltem Isleyen,et al.  Transition metal coated TiO2 nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterization and their photocatalytic activity , 2013 .

[33]  Michael Farle,et al.  Water‐Stable, Magnetic Silica–Cobalt/Cobalt Oxide–Silica Multishell Submicrometer Spheres , 2005 .

[34]  Jane F. Bertone,et al.  A lost-wax approach to monodisperse colloids and their crystals. , 2001, Science.

[35]  Z. Chang,et al.  Sea urchin-like Ag–α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite microspheres: synthesis and gas sensing applications , 2012 .

[36]  Nicolae Barsan,et al.  Flame spray synthesis of tin dioxide nanoparticles for gas sensing , 2004 .

[37]  Jih-Jen Wu,et al.  Growth and Magnetic Properties of Oriented α-Fe2O3 Nanorods , 2006 .

[38]  Shurong Wang,et al.  Construction and enhanced gas sensing performances of CuO-modified α-Fe2O3 hybrid hollow spheres , 2013 .

[39]  Caiyun Wang,et al.  Effect of Mn doping on the microstructures and sensing properties of ZnO nanofibers , 2014 .

[40]  N. Yamazoe,et al.  Oxide Semiconductor Gas Sensors , 2003 .

[41]  Qingyi Pan,et al.  Grain size control and gas sensing properties of ZnO gas sensor , 2000 .

[42]  Baolin Zhu,et al.  H2S sensing characteristics of Pt-doped α-Fe2O3 thick film sensors , 2007 .

[43]  C. Cao,et al.  Nearly monodisperse hollow Fe2O3 nanoovals: Synthesis, magnetic property and applications in photocatalysis and gas sensors , 2010 .

[44]  Qing Peng,et al.  Nearly Monodisperse Cu2O and CuO Nanospheres: Preparation and Applications for Sensitive Gas Sensors , 2006 .

[45]  K. Tang,et al.  Facile Route for the Fabrication of Porous Hematite Nanoflowers: Its Synthesis, Growth Mechanism, Application in the Lithium Ion Battery, and Magnetic and Photocatalytic Properties , 2008 .

[46]  G. Lu,et al.  Synthesis and gas sensing properties of hierarchical SnO2 nanostructures , 2013 .

[47]  Li Liu,et al.  Excellent acetone sensing properties of Sm-doped α-Fe2O3 , 2014 .

[48]  T. S. Natarajan,et al.  Enhanced ethanol-gas sensing performance of Ce-doped SnO2 hollow nanofibers prepared by electrospinning , 2013 .

[49]  K. Grass,et al.  The Kinetics of Carbon Monoxide Oxidation on Tin(IV) Oxide Supported Platinum Catalysts , 1997 .

[50]  Sheng-Peng Sun,et al.  Microwave-assisted preparation, characterization and photocatalytic properties of a dumbbell-shaped ZnO photocatalyst. , 2010, Journal of hazardous materials.

[51]  B. Liu,et al.  Controlled synthesis and gas-sensing properties of hollow sea urchin-like α-Fe2O3 nanostructures and α-Fe2O3 nanocubes , 2009 .

[52]  Peng Sun,et al.  Hierarchical α-Fe2O3/SnO2 semiconductor composites: Hydrothermal synthesis and gas sensing properties , 2013 .

[53]  N. Yamazoe.  New approaches for improving semiconductor gas sensors , 1991 .

[54]  Jae-pyoung Ahn,et al.  Sol–Gel Mediated Synthesis of Fe2O3 Nanorods , 2003 .

[55]  H. Fan,et al.  Room-temperature solid state synthesis of ZnO/α-Fe2O3 hierarchical nanostructures and their enhanced gas-sensing properties , 2012 .

[56]  R. N. Karekar,et al.  Formulation and characterization of ZnO:Sb thick-film gas sensors , 1998 .

[57]  Yongmei Bai,et al.  Microstructure and optical properties of Fe-doped ZnO thin films prepared by DC magnetron sputtering , 2013 .

[58]  Wei Wang,et al.  Enhanced acetone sensing performance of Au nanoparticles functionalized flower-like ZnO , 2012 .