Abstract
Detecting xylene gas is an important means of avoiding human harm from gas poisoning. A precise measurement demands that the gas sensor used must have high sensitivity, high selectivity, and low working temperature. To meet these requirements, in this study, Sn2+-doped NiO flower-like microspheres (SNM) with different amounts of Sn2+ synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal process were investigated. The responses of gas sensors based on different Sn2+-doped NiO materials for various targeting gases were fully characterized. It was found that all of the synthesized materials exhibited the best gas response at a working temperature of 180 degrees, which was much lower than the previously reported working temperature range of 300–500 degrees. When exposed to 10 ppm xylene, the 8 at% Sn2+-doped NiO sensor (mol ratio) exhibited the highest response, with a value of 30 (Rg/Ra). More significantly, the detection limit of the 8 at% Sn2+-doped NiO sensor for xylene is down in the ppb level. The Sn2+-doped NiO material also exhibits excellent selectivity for other gases with long-term stability and repeatability. The significant improvement in the response to xylene can theoretically be attributed to a decrease in the intrinsic hole carrier concentration, higher amounts of adsorbed oxygen and active sites.
Highlights
IntroductionXylene is an important solvent widely used in the ink, paint, adhesives, and pigment industries [1]
Xylene is an important solvent widely used in the ink, paint, adhesives, and pigment industries [1]. the damage caused by exposure to low concentrations of xylene (
The pure nickel oxide (NiO) and Sn2+-doped NiO flower-like microspheres (SNM) were synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method
Summary
Xylene is an important solvent widely used in the ink, paint, adhesives, and pigment industries [1]. Improved material syntheses and metal atom doping have improved the detection limit and reduced the operating temperature of xylene sensors, the selectivity of the measurement remains a challenge. Another striking problem is that the current methods of material synthesis involve multiple steps. Further investigations to improve the detection sensitivity and selectivity, lower the working temperature and synthesize NiO materials doped with different elements via simple methods are extremely desirable. The gas sensor performance indicates that at an optimal molar ratio of Sn2+ /Ni2+ (8%), the response of SNM sensor to 10 ppm xylene is enhanced 21 times more than that of the pure NiO sensor. This research is expected to open up new avenues of research for detecting solvent gases with high sensitivity and selectivity at low temperatures
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