Enhancing the performance of TiO2 nanotube-based hydrogen sensors through crystal structure and metal electrode

Abstract

In this research, the effect of metal electrodes and crystalline phase on gas detection of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanotube-based hydrogen (H2) sensors was investigated. TiO2 nanotubes were produced using glycerol-based electrolyte and annealed at 300 °C and 700 °C to change the anatase and rutile crystalline phases, respectively. TiO2 nanotubes were coated by platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), gold (Au) and silver (Ag) electrodes to fabricate metal/TiO2 nanotubes Ti H2 sensor devices and then the current-voltage (I–V) characteristics were investigated at room temperature. The structural properties of TiO2 nanotubes were characterized by SEM, FE-SEM, XRD, and Raman techniques. The H2 detection properties of the sensors were examined at the 1000 ppm - 5% H2 concentration range. The crystal structure and metal electrodes are the main factors that affect the H2 sensing properties of TiO2 nanotube-based sensors. The effect of crystal forms on sensitivity was not the same as for metal electrodes. The underlying sensing mechanisms for different types of metal electrodes and crystal structures are discussed and the relevance of their sensing performance to nanotubes and electronic properties is investigated. In addition, discussion of each metal electrode and crystal structure will make important contributions to the development of H2 sensors. The Pd-coated device annealed at 700 °C showed the best detection performance.