Highly sensitive ethanol sensors based on nanocrystalline SnO sub(2) thin films

• Published in: Current applied physics Vol. 10; no. 5; pp. 1249 - 1254
• Main Authors: Patil, LA, Shinde, MD, Bari, A R, Deo, V V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.09.2010
• Subjects: Ethanol; Ethyl alcohol; Nanocrystals; Nanostructure; Sensors; Thin films; Tin dioxide; Tin oxides
• ISSN: 1567-1739
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cap.2010.03.002

This paper reports on a simple and inexpensive ultrasonic spray pyrolysis method to synthesize agglomerate-free nanosized SnO sub(2) particles with a size smaller than 10 nm. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and high resolution X-ray diffraction studies were used to characterize the morphology, crystallinity, and structure of the SnO sub(2) particles. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the prepared SnO sub(2) sensor shows the high response (S = 491) towards 100 ppm ethanol gas at 300 degree C, linearity in the range of 100-500 ppm, quick response time (2 s), recovery time (60 s) and selectivity against other gases. The response of the sensor was monitored in a 250-450 degree C temperature range. The seven fold enhancement in gas response and selective detection of C sub(2)H sub(5)OH in the presence of other gases such as CH sub(3)OH and CH sub(3)CHOHCH sub(3) are the significant points in this investigation. These results demonstrate that pure nanocrystalline SnO sub(2) thin film can be used as the sensing material for fabricating high performance ethanol sensors.