Enhanced room temperature ethanol sensing: Insights into ZnSnVO nanocomposites catalytic behavior and electron transport

Abstract

In the present investigations, zinc oxide, tin oxide, vanadium oxide - ternary combinations (ZnSnVO) prepared by hydrothermal route were characterized using the state-of-the-art facilities and were systematically analyzed. The interface properties between the grain and grain boundaries of the oxides were studied using Conductive atomic force microscopic (CAFM) studies. From the detailed investigations on topography and I-V characteristics, it is revealed that, zinc-tin-vanadium oxide nanocomposite with smaller barrier height of 0.189 eV exhibited pronounced response magnitude of 98.96 % at a faster rate of 32 s at room temperature. The enhanced ethanol sensing property of the ternary nanocomposite is attributed to the hierarchical morphology with large surface area, the formation of heterojunction at the interface, tuning the schottky barrier height, depletion layer manipulation and the electronic effects.