Highly Sensitive SF6 Decomposition Byproducts Sensing Platform Based on CuO/ZnO Heterojunction Nanofibers

Abstract

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) are two typical decomposition byproducts of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), commonly used as an insulating medium in electrical equipment; for instance, in gas circuit breakers and gas insulated switchgears. In our work, fiber-like p-CuO/n-ZnO heterojunction gas sensing materials were successfully prepared via the electrospinning method to detect the SF6 decomposition byproducts, H2S and SO2 gases. The sensing results demonstrated that p-CuO/n-ZnO nanofiber sensors have good sensing performance with respect to H2S and SO2. It is noteworthy that this fiber-like p-CuO/n-ZnO heterojunction sensor exhibits higher and faster response–recovery time to H2S and SO2. The enhanced sensor performances can probably be attributed to the sulfuration–desulfuration reaction between H2S and the sensing materials. Moreover, the gas sensor exhibited a high response to the low exposure of H2S and SO2 gas (below 5 ppm). Towards the end of the paper, the gas sensing mechanism of the prepared p-CuO/n-ZnO heterojunction sensors to SO2 and H2S is discussed carefully. Calculations based on first principles were carried out for Cu/ZnO to construct adsorption models for the adsorption of SO2 and H2S gas molecules. Information on adsorption energy, density of states, energy gap values and charge density were calculated and compared to explain the gas-sensitive mechanism of ZnO on SO2 and H2S gases.