Abstract
Nanostructured SnO2 is a promising material for the scalable production of portable gas sensors. To fully exploit their potential, these gas sensors need a faster recovery rate and higher sensitivity at room temperature than the current state of the art. Here we demonstrate a chemiresistive gas sensor based on vertical SnOx nanopillars, capable of sensing < 5 ppm of H2 at room temperature and 10 ppt at 230 °C. We test the sample both in vacuum and in air and observe an exceptional improvement in the performance compared to commercially available gas sensors. In particular, the recovery time for sensing NH3 at room temperature is more than one order of magnitude faster than a commercial SnO2 sensor. The sensor shows an unique combination of high sensitivity and fast recovery time, matching the requirements on materials expected to foster widespread use of portable and affordable gas sensors.
Highlights
Gas sensors are indispensable in a modern society
We demonstrate that a chemiresistor based on vertical SnOx nanopillars grown on Sn-reduced indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films[25] can detect 1 ppm of NH3 at room temperature (RT) in air, with a recovery time of seconds, i.e. about an order of magnitude faster than commercially available metal oxide chemiresistor operating in the same conditions
We have reported a molecular architecture of SnOx sensors that allows a detection of H2 below 5 ppm at RT and to a partial pressure of 10−8 mbar (10 ppt) at 230 °C
Summary
Gas sensors are indispensable in a modern society. Sensing H2, for instance, is increasingly important, as this molecule is envisaged as an alternative to fossil energy sources[1]. We demonstrate that a chemiresistor based on vertical SnOx nanopillars grown on Sn-reduced indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films[25] can detect 1 ppm of NH3 at RT in air, with a recovery time of seconds, i.e. about an order of magnitude faster than commercially available metal oxide chemiresistor operating in the same conditions. It detects few ppm of H2 at RT in vacuum and, at high-temperature, it can recognize the equivalent of 10 ppt of H2 (10−8 mbar). Thanks to the ease of fabrication and the efficient gas sensing characteristics, the proposed nanostructured material paves the way towards economic, safe, and portable gas sensors
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