Rare earth element-doped porous In2O3 nanosheets for enhanced gas-sensing performance

• Published in: Rare metals Vol. 40; no. 6; pp. 1662 - 1668
• Main Authors: Zhang, Wen-Hui, Ding, Su-Jun, Zhang, Qing-Song, Yi, Hui, Liu, Zi-Xiang, Shi, Meng-Li, Guan, Rong-Feng, Yue, Lu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Beijing Nonferrous Metals Society of China 01.06.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acetone; Biomaterials; Cerium; Chemistry and Materials Science; Doping; Energy; Gas sensors; Indium oxides; Lanthanum; Materials Engineering; Materials Science; Metallic Materials; Morphology; Nanoscale Science and Technology; Nanosheets; Operating temperature; Original Article; Physical Chemistry; Praseodymium; Rare earth elements; Recovery time; Selectivity; Trace elements; Gas sensor; Rare earth elements; In; Doping; O; Acetone
• ISSN: 1001-0521; 1867-7185
• DOI: 10.1007/s12598-020-01607-x

Rare earth (La, Pr, Sm, Ce and Yb)-doped porous In 2 O 3 nanosheets are prepared by a solvothermal method. The effect of rare earth elements on the structure, morphologies and gas-sensing performance of In 2 O 3 nanosheets is systematically investigated. The mixed phase composed of c-In 2 O 3 and rh-In 2 O 3 can be transformed into rh-In 2 O 3 by doping with rare earth elements. After doping with rare earth elements, the morphology can be changed from compact nanosheets to porous sheets. Compared with pure In 2 O 3 and La, Pr, Sm, Ce-doped porous In 2 O 3 nanosheets, Yb-doped In 2 O 3 nanosheets present the best gas-sensing performance. Among 3%–10% Yb-doped samples, 6% Yb-doped In 2 O 3 porous nanosheets exhibit the optimal gas-sensing performance to 5 × 10 −6 –750 × 10 −6 acetone, giving a high response of 15.3 toward 50 × 10 −6 acetone and fast response/recovery time at the operating temperature of 220 °C. Moreover, 6% Yb-doped porous In 2 O 3 nanosheet sensor also exhibits excellent selectivity and stability, indicating its potential in the next-generation gas sensor. Graphic abstract