Progress towards a novel NO2 gas sensor based on SnO2/RGO hybrid sensors by a facial hydrothermal approach

Abstract

The integration of semiconducting metal oxides and carbonaceous materials has been sufficiently shown to be an efficient method to improve the sensing properties of gas sensors. The present investigation concerns the solution-based hydrothermal production of SnO2 nanoparticles (NPs) decorated reduced graphene oxide hybrids sensors. The microstructure and elemental composition of the samples were analyzed through XRD, SEM, TEM, BET and XPS analysis. The concentration of rGO in SnO2 is varied from 0 to 5 wt%. In the meantime, a series of resistant-type gas sensors based on composite SnO2/rGO and pure SnO2 were manufactured and tested for gas sensing analysis towards NO2 and CO2. The composite sensor exhibited enhanced sensing performance towards NO2 gas such as high response (88.9), fast response (12 s) and recovery time (34 s), selectiveness and repeatability. The synergistic impact of SnO2 and rGO significant function in enhancing sensing behavior. Improvement mechanism that is responsible for the superior sensing properties of the nanocomposite is also discussed.