Mesostructure Carbon-Templated synthesis of mesoporous ZnO by a nanocasting route for NO2 sensing

Abstract

Mesoporous ZnO was successfully synthesized via nanocasting method using the disordered mesoporous carbon as a hard template. The structure and chemical composition of the sample were characterized by X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption–desorption, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. A study on their gas sensing properties for NO2 reveals that the sensor utilizing mesoporous ZnO displays low detection concentration, high response, good selectivity, fast response behaviour toward NO2. It is supposed that the outstanding gas sensing properties of mesoporous ZnO sensor is arisen from the large surface area and high porosity, which lead to highly effective surface interaction on between the target gas molecules and the surface active sites in mesoporous ZnO sensor.