Shape-controlled and stable hollow frame structures of SnO and their highly sensitive NO2 gas sensing

• Published in: Sensors and actuators. B, Chemical Vol. 340; p. 129940
• Main Authors: Ren, Qianqian, Zhang, Xinping, Wang, Yingnan, Xu, Manzhang, Wang, Jingru, Tian, Qi, Jia, Kai, Liu, Xintong, Sui, Yongming, Liu, Chuang, Yun, Jiangni, Yan, Junfeng, Zhao, Wu, Zhang, Zhiyong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 01.08.2021; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Ammonia; Frame structures; Gas sensors; Hollow frames; Materials science; Morphology; Nitrogen dioxide; NO2; Ostwald ripening; Quadrilaterals; Recovery time; Selectivity; Sensors; SnO; Tin oxides; NO2; Materials science; Sensors; SnO; Hollow frames
• ISSN: 0925-4005; 1873-3077
• DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2021.129940

•Novel and stable SnO hollow frames could be synthesized, including convex corner quadrilateral-, square- and octagonal-frames.•These obtained hollow frame SnO microstructures show excellent gas-sensing performances.•The detection limit of the sensor is 5 ppb at 200 °C.•The response/recovery time of the sensor is less than 60 s. In this work, tin monoxide (SnO) is synthesized successfully using a simple solvothermal method. SnCl2 as a stannous source in the presence of oleylamine (OLA), by changing the amount of NH3∙H2O, we prepare a series of SnO microstructures with novel and unique hollow frame morphologies, such as convex corner quadrilateral-, square- and octagonal-like structures. Meanwhile, these hollow structures are attributed to Ostwald Ripening process and the joint action of OH− and NH4+. In addition, these obtained hollow frame-like SnO nanostructures show excellent gas-sensing performances, including low detection limits, short response/recovery time, selectivity to NO2 and good reproducibility. The minimum detection limit (MDL) of the sensor devices is 5 ppb at 200 °C. In addition, at a wide NO2 concentrations detection range (e.g. 5 ppb–10 ppm), both the response and recovery time are within 60 s. The NO2 gas sensor device still remains excellent performance after being stored over 3 months. All these advantages demonstrate a promising means of using frame-like and hollow SnO microstructures for NO2 gas sensors application.