High performance H2 sensor based on rGO-wrapped SnO2–Pd porous hollow spheres

Abstract

Hydrogen (H2) sensors based on metal oxide semiconductors (MOS) are promising for many applications such as a rocket propellant, industrial gas and the safety of storage. However, poor selectivity at low analyte concentrations, and independent response on high humidity limit the practical applications. Herein, we designed rGO-wrapped SnO2–Pd porous hollow spheres composite (SnO2–Pd@rGO) for high performance H2 sensor. The porous hollow structure was from the carbon sphere template. The rGO wrapping was via self-assembly of GO on SnO2-based spheres with subsequent thermal reduction in H2 ambient. This sensor exhibited excellently selective H2 sensing performances at 390 °C, linear response over a broad concentration range (0.1–1000 ppm) with recovery time of only 3 s, a high response of ∼8 to 0.1 ppm H2 in a minute, and acceptable stability under high humidity conditions (e. g. 80%). The calculated detection limit of 16.5 ppb opened up the possibility of trace H2 monitoring. Furthermore, this sensor demonstrated certain response to H2 at the minimum concentration of 50 ppm at 130 °C. These performances mainly benefited from the special hollow porous structure with abundant heterojunctions, the catalysis of the doped-PdOx, the relative hydrophobic surface from rGO, and the deoxygenation after H2 reduction.