Cable-Like Core-Shell Mesoporous SnO2 Nanofibers by Single-Nozzle Electrospinning Phase Separation for Formaldehyde Sensing.

Abstract

In this study, we have developed a simple and efficient single-nozzle electrospinning strategy involving the phase separation of polystyrene and poly(vinylpyrrolidone) to construct cable-like core-shell mesoporous SnO2 nanofibers. Compared with traditional multi-axial electrospinning approaches to the synthesis of core-shell nanofibers, the single-nozzle electrospinning process requires no complex multi-axial electrospinning setups or post-treatments, just drying and annealing after electrospinning. The obtained SnO2 nanofibers show promise as a sensing material for formaldehyde at low concentrations, the detection limit being about 1 ppm. Furthermore, the nanofibers exhibited good cycling stability and selectivity, with response and recovery times toward 10 ppm formaldehyde being approximately 18 and 196 s, respectively, at an operating temperature of 195 °C.