Zn-doped CuO Research Articles

Investigation of structural and optical properties of TM-doped CuO NPs: Correlation with their photocatalytic efficiency in sunlight-induced pollutant degradation

The presence of non-biodegradable, toxic, and harmful organic pollutants in various environmental mediums poses significant threats to ecosystems and human health. This study investigates the impact of transition metal (TM) doping on the photocatalytic performance of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) in degrading methylene blue (MB) dye under sunlight irradiation. CuO NPs are synthesized using the co-precipitation method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed a monoclinic structure with space group C2/c for undoped and TM–doped CuONPs, with crystalline sizes ranging from 13 nm for undoped to 36 nm for Zn-doped CuO. Based on UV–Visible Spectroscopy data, the band gap energies and the nature of electronic band transitions are determined using a new simplified calculation method. Accordingly, direct band gap energy exhibits a slight red-shift as a result of doping with Ni, Mn or Fe, from 1.427 eV for undoped to 1.402 eV for Fe-doped CuO. While Co or Zn doping, induces a trivial blue-shift to 1.468 eV and 1.434 eV respectively. The CuO particles show a heterogenous distribution size and shape. The mean grain size raised from 34.3 nm for undoped to about 100 nm for TM-doped CuONPS, excluding the Co-doped CuO for which the mean grain size reached 154.532 nm with highest standard deviation heterogeneity of 125.737 nm. Furthermore, photocatalytic experiments demonstrated that TM-doping significantly enhanced the degradation rate of MB dye under sunlight irradiation. Co-doped CuO is the most efficient catalyst. This makes TM-doping a promising pathway for the use of CuO NPs in wastewater decontamination applications.

Study on the Optical and Gas-Sensing Performance of Zn-doped CuO Films

The pure copper oxide thin film was deposited on glass substrates by SILAR method with 30 cycles. To examine the doping effect, Zn-doped films at different doping ratios were prepared under the same conditions as the undoped film. The XRD, SEM and Raman measurements were performed to investigate the morphological and structural properties of the samples. Analysis showed increasing aggregation and amorphous structure with doping. The optical parameters were characterized by spectrophotometer measurement and relevant formulas. The band gap energies were determined to increase from 2.50 to 2.79 eV with the increasing Zn rate. The Hervé and Vandamme, Moss and Ravindra relations were used to determine the refractive index. The room temperature gas-sensing performance for the undoped and doped samples were reported and the responses for 5 ppm gas were calculated as 249 %, 800 %, 189 % and 15 % for the CuO, 1Zn:CuO, 3Zn:CuO and 5Zn:CuO, respectively. The response of CuO thin films changed with doping, and 1% Zn doping rate was determined as the optimal rate in this study.

Enhanced CO2 gas sensing at room temperature using Ag-plated Na-doped CuO thin films synthesized by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction technique

In this study, we synthesized undoped, Zn-doped, and Na-doped CuO films using the Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) method to enhance CO2 gas sensing capabilities. The characterization of the films revealed a monoclinic tenorite phase structure across all samples. The crystallite size was observed to decrease from 83.5 nm in pure CuO to 73.15 nm and 63.08 nm in Zn-doped and Na-doped CuO films, respectively. Notably, Na-doped CuO films exhibited a reduced band gap, increased specific surface area, enhanced surface roughness, and improved electrical conductivity compared to their counterparts. The gas sensing performance was assessed based on sensitivity, selectivity, recovery and response times, and the limit of detection for CO2. The Na-doped CuO films demonstrated superior sensitivity, with sensor responses at 3.3 %, 4.86 %, and 12.8 % for undoped, Zn-doped, and Na-doped films, respectively, at a CO2 flow rate of 100 SCCM. Further modification of the Na-doped CuO films with Ag plasmonics markedly increased the sensor response to 914.8 % under the same conditions at a standard room temperature of 30 °C. Additional evaluations of selectivity, consistency, repeatability, and both quantification and detection limits underscored the enhanced performance of the modified Na-doped CuO films, indicating their potential for efficient CO2 gas detection applications.

SILAR-Deposited CuO Nanostructured Films Doped with Zinc and Sodium for Improved CO2 Gas Detection.

Gas sensing is of significant importance in a wide range of disciplines, including industrial safety and environmental monitoring. In this work, a low-cost SILAR (Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction) technique was employed to fabricate pure CuO, Zn-doped CuO, and Na-doped CuO nanotextured films to efficiently detect CO2 gas. The structures, morphologies, chemical composition, and optical properties of all films are characterized using different tools. All films exhibit a crystalline monoclinic phase (tenorite) structure. The average crystallite size of pure CuO was 83.5 nm, whereas the values for CuO/Zn and CuO/Na were 73.15 nm and 63.08 nm, respectively. Subsequently, the gas-sensing capabilities of these films were evaluated for the detection of CO2 in terms of sensor response, selectivity, recovery time, response time, and limits of detection and quantification. The CuO/Na film offered the most pronounced sensitivity towards CO2 gas, as evidenced by a sensor response of 12.8% at room temperature and a low limit of detection (LoD) of 2.36 SCCM. The response of this sensor increased to 64.5% as the operating temperature increased to 150 °C. This study thus revealed a brand-new CuO/Na nanostructured film as a highly effective and economically viable sensor for the detection of CO2.

Transition metal (Zn, Mn, and Ni) incorporated CuO nanostructures for supercapacitor applications

Striking features of cost-effectiveness, eco-friendliness, abundant resources, facile fabrication, and primarily, the high theoretical capacitance of CuO have established it as a smart choice for electrodes in pseudocapacitors, yet its practical utilization is hindered by its low electrical conductivity. Considering this, herein, we have made an effort to improve its conductivity by doping it with various transition metals and investigating each sample's electrochemical performance. Fabrication of pure and TM-doped CuO NPs (Cu1-xTMxO, where TM = Zn, Mn, Ni, and x = 0.05) has been carried out via the coprecipitation method, followed by calcination. The X-ray diffraction technique confirms the monoclinic structure of all the samples. Nanoplate, nanoflake, and nano rod-like morphology are exhibited by CuO, Zn-doped CuO, and Mn-doped CuO, respectively. The maximum value of the surface area is noted for Cu0.95Ni0.05O in BET analysis. Whereas, uniformly distributed arbitrarily shaped nano-particles are observed for Ni-doped CuO. The analysis of electrochemical performance reveals that at 5 mVs−1, 153, 109, 77, and 507 Fg−1 of specific capacitance has been delivered by CuO, Cu0.95Zn0.05O, Cu0.95Mn0.05O, and Cu0.95Ni0.05O, respectively. Ni-doped CuO showed outstanding specific capacitance which is threefold better than pristine CuO. Moreover, it also demonstrated the best cyclic stability with a retained capacitance of 93 % by the end of 2000 cycles, along with the lowest charge transfer and solution resistance amongst all as-prepared samples. Its extraordinary performance is a consequence of its uniformly distributed highly porous morphology and better electrical conductivity. Hence, this study suggests Ni-doped CuO be the most desirable electrode material for pseudocapacitors.

Structural and photocatalytic properties of undoped and Zn-doped CuO thin films deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering

In this research, undoped and Zn-doped CuO thin films were successfully fabricated by the reactive magnetron sputtering method. The effect of Zn dopant concentration on the enhancement of photocatalytic behavior and structural properties of CuO thin films was investigated. To obtain the optimal conditions in terms of the highest efficiency and rate in the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB), CuO films were first deposited at different oxygen partial pressures (30 %, 40 %, and 50 %). Optimal conditions, i.e., a 70 % photodegradation efficiency with a rate of 0.279 h−1 were achieved in the undoped sample deposited at a partial pressure of 40 %. Then different Zn amounts were incorporated into the CuO lattice by controlling the RF power in the range of 10–40 W. As-prepared samples were analyzed using GIXRD, XPS, PL, EIS, and UV–vis spectroscopy. The GIXRD pattern of the Zn-doped sample showed the formation of CuO without altering its monoclinic structure. XPS spectra indicated the presence of Cu2+ and Zn2+ oxidation states, which means the successful substitution of Zn2+ at Cu2+ sites in the CuO lattice. Based on EIS results, increasing the Zn cation dopant up to 0.026 led to a decrease in the charge resistance transfer compared to the undoped CuO. By increasing the amount of Zn in the cationic ratio up to 0.02, PL peak intensity reached the lowest value. Accordingly, the MB degradation efficiency increased to above 80 % in this sample. Active species involved in the photocatalytic reactions were investigated via a scavenger test. The Zn-doped CuO film showed high MB degradation efficiency even after five cycles (77 %), which made it a potential candidate for wastewater purification.

Facile and Scalable Synthesis of Self-Supported Zn-Doped CuO Nanosheet Arrays for Efficient Nitrate Reduction to Ammonium.

CuO has been regarded as a promising catalyst for the electrochemical reduction of nitrate (NO3-RR) to ammonium (NH3); however, the intrinsic activity is greatly restricted by its poor electrical property. In this work, self-supported Zn-doped CuO nanosheet arrays (Zn-CuO NAs) are synthesized for NO3-RR, where the Zn dopant regulates the electronic structure of CuO to significantly accelerate the interfacial charge transfer and inner electron transport kinetics. The Zn-CuO NAs are constructed by a one-step etching of commercial brass (Cu64Zn36 alloy) in 0.1 M NaOH solution, which experiences a corrosion-oxidation-reconstruction process. Initially, the brass undergoes a dealloying procedure to produce nanosized Cu, which is immediately oxidized to the Cu2O unit with a low valence state. Subsequently, Cu2O is further oxidized to the CuO unit and reconstructed into nanosheets with the coprecipitation of Zn2+. For NO3-RR, Zn-CuO NAs show a high NH3 production rate of 945.1 μg h-1 cm-2 and a Faradaic efficiency of up to 95.6% at -0.7 V in 0.1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte with 0.01 M NaNO3, which outperforms the majority of the state-of-the-art catalysts. The present work offers a facile yet very efficient strategy for the scale-up synthesis of Zn-CuO NAs for high-performance NH3 production from NO3-RR.

NiOx-coated/Zn-doped CuO photoelectrodes with efficient charge transfer, protection from photocorrosion, and improved photocurrent density and photostability

In this study, Zn-doped CuO photoelectrodes were fabricated to investigate whether Zn doping would improve the photocurrent density by enhancing crystallinity, reducing charge transfer resistance and producing more efficient charge transfer in CuO photoelectrodes. In particular, the photocurrent density of a 5 at% Zn-doped CuO photoelectrode was − 2.32 mA/cm2, which was significantly higher than that of a bare CuO photoelectrode (−1.54 mA/cm2). However, the photostability of the doped CuO photoelectrodes was still low at 55.2 %, so protective layers with various NiOx concentrations were deposited on the photoelectrodes, and their photostability was analyzed. By comparing the XPS Cu 2p spectra of bare CuO, 5 at% Zn-doped CuO and 0.045 at% NiOx-coated/5 at% Zn-doped CuO photoelectrodes measured before and after photostability measurements, we investigated the reduction of CuO, which causes photocorrosion. The results of this study showed that Zn doping and NiOx deposition greatly improved the structural, electrical and photoelectrical properties of the CuO photoelectrodes. The photostability of the 0.045 at% NiOx-coated/5 at% Zn-doped CuO photoelectrode was very high, at 92.9 %, and the photocurrent density also improved to − 2.47 mA/cm2.

Synergistic effect of doping and nanotechnology to fabricate highly efficient photocatalyst for environmental remediation

Nanotechnology and metal-doping are two promising techniques to make semiconductive material-based photocatalysts with higher surface area and modulating electronic structure. Using the simple surfactant-assisted co-precipitation approach; we synthesized nanostructured Zn-doped CuO (Zn0.4Co 0.6 O) as a visible-light-driven catalyst for environmental remediation. The morphology, texture, crystal structure, phase, charge transport properties, and chemical constitution of the as-prepared materials were characterized through advanced physiochemical characterization. Using the Rhodamine B (RhB) dye and the bacteria Escherichia coli (E-coli), the photocatalytic and antibacterial activities of CuO and Zn-doped CuO were investigated and compared to evaluate the effect of the doping technique. Surfactant-assisted synthesized Zn-doped CuO samples demonstrated excellent photocatalytic practicability against Rhodamine B dye, with a mineralization efficiency of up to 92.89% within 70 min and a high pseudo-first-order kinetic constant (K) of 0.033 min-1. The photocurrent response of the Zn-doped CuO sample was about double that of the CuO sample, demonstrating that the nanoarchitecture and modified electronic structure of the Zn-doped CuO sample resulted in increased photocatalytic activity. Furthermore, the Zn-doped CuO photocatalyst demonstrated enhanced antibacterial activity, killing E. coli bacteria by creating reactive oxygen species (ROS) that disrupt their important cellular processes and functions. Thus, our proposed Zn-doped CuO photocatalytic with faster degradation kinetics, good recyclability, and a lower electron-hole recombination probability could be used for environmental remediation. • Nanostructured Zn-doped CuO was prepared by using the surfactant co-precipitation approach. • Physicochemical and electrical properties of the Zn-doped and pristine CuO samples were investigated. • Zn-doped CuO mineralized 92.89% RhB dye in 70 min under visible light irradiation. • The kinetics, photoelectrochemical properties and reusability tests were also performed. • The Zn-doped CuO catalyst also showed excellent potential against E-coli .

Comparison studies of Zn-doped CuO thin films deposited by manual and automated nebulizer-spray pyrolysis systems and their application in heterojunction-diode fabrication

Comparison studies of Zn-doped CuO thin films deposited by manual and automated nebulizer-spray pyrolysis systems and their application in heterojunction-diode fabrication

Formation of self-assembled hierarchical structure on Zn doped in CuO nanoparticle using a microwave-assisted chemical precipitation approach

In the present work, CuO and Cu1-xZnxO were synthesized with the function of the Zn doping ratio by microwave-assisted chemical precipitation approach. The X-ray diffraction pattern shows that the mono-phase CuO with a mono-clinical structure and no other secondary phase has been observed for the Cu1-xZnxO with different Zn ratio and confirms CuO lattice does not get destroyed by the addition of Zn. The Raman spectra and HR-TEM analysis support the XRD results. The self-assembled hierarchical flower morphology was obtained for the higher doping ratio of Zn. The energy dispersive analysis of X-ray spectrum confirms the presence of Zn in the CuO lattice and the stoichiometry obtained. The optical band gap was found to be 1.78 eV for CuO nanoparticles, and the values are between 1.80 and 2.29 eV for Zn-doped CuO. For higher Zn-doped CuO, optical band splitting was observed due to flower-like morphology. The recombination of an electron–hole was reduced for higher doping ratio nanoparticles. These properties are needed for photocatalytic application.

Antimicrobial Activities of Zn-Doped CuO Microparticles Decorated on Polydopamine against Sensitive and Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

A polydopamine (PDA) composite was synthesized by depositing Zn-doped CuO (Zn@CuO) particles on polydopamine by one-step ultrasonication. XPS, XRD, and FTIR confirmed the formation of spherical Zn@...

Аntibacterial inorganic agents: efficiency of using multicomponent systems

Metal and metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) are promising antibacterial agents. They have a broad antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, viruses, and protozoans. The use of NPs reduces the possibility of the microbial resistance development. This review briefly shows the general mechanisms and the main factors of antibacterial activity of NPs. In this article, a comprehensive review of the recent researches in the field of new antimicrobial agents with superior long-term bactericidal activity and low toxicity is provided. The review gives the examples of synthesis of double and triple nanocomposites based on following oxides: CuO, ZnO, Fe3O4, Ag2O, MnO2, etc. including metal and nonmetal doped nanocomposites (for example with Ag, Ce, Cr, Mn, Nd, Co, Sn, Fe, N, F, etc.). Compared with bactericidal action of individual oxides, the nanocomposites demonstrate superior antibacterial activity and have synergistic effects. For example, the antimicrobial activity of ZnO against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was increased by -100% by formation of triple nanocomposites ZnO—MnO2—Cu2O or ZnO—Ag2O—Ag2S. Similar effect was showed for Ce-doped ZnO and Zn-doped CuO. The present article also provides the examples of nanocomposites containing NPs and organic (chitosan, cellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, biopolymers, etc.) or inorganic materials with special structure (graphene oxide, TiO2 nanotubes, silica) which demonstrate controlled release and longterm antibacterial activity. All of the considered nanocomposites and their combinations have a pronounced long-term antimicrobial effect including against antibiotic-resistant strains. They are able to prevent the formation of microbial biofilms on biotic and abiotic surfaces, have low toxicity to eukaryotic cells, demonstrate anti-inflammatory and woundhealing properties in compositions with polymers (sodium alginate, collagen, polyvinylpyrrolidone, etc.). The use of nanoscale systems can solve several important practical problems at the same time: saving of long-term antimicrobial activities while reducing the number of compounds, creation of new antimicrobial agents with low toxicity and reduced environmental impact, development of new biocidal materials, including new coatings for effective antimicrobial protection of medical devices.

Atomic Modulation of 3D Conductive Frameworks Boost Performance of MnO2 for Coaxial Fiber-Shaped Supercapacitors

Highlights3D Zn-doped CuO framework was designed for aligned distributing high mass loading of MnO2 nanosheets.Zn could be introduced into the CuO crystal lattice to tune the covalency character and thus improve charge transport.A free-standing asymmetric coaxial fiber-shaped supercapacitor based on Zn–CuO@MnO2 core electrode possesses superior performance including higher capacity and better stability under deformation.

Band gap tailoring of cauliflower-shaped CuO nanostructures by Zn doping for antibacterial applications

Abstract Transition metal oxide nanostructures are well known as attractive multi-functional nanomaterials and are among the most promising industrial materials for different science and technology applications. The present study, describes the optical, structural, and antibacterial properties of undoped and Zn-doped CuO nanostructures synthesised by a simple low-cost sol-gel technique. The synthesised nanostructures exhibited a monoclinic CuO structure as confirmed by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Various Zn doping of CuO nanostructures tuned their optical, structural, morphological, and antibacterial properties. Field emission scanning electron microscopy confirmed the formation of bunched cauliflower-shaped nanostructures after Zn doping. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to study the chemical state of CuO doped with Zn and dynamic light scattering measured the hydrodynamic size of the samples. Zn-doped CuO samples exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus with a change in antibacterial behaviour compared to pure CuO structures. This study demonstrated the potential of using a simple synthesis methodology to produce tuneable nanostructures for multi-functional applications.

Effect of Zn Doping in CuO Octahedral Crystals towards Structural, Optical, and Gas Sensing Properties

Monodispersed CuO octahedral crystals were successfully synthesized using a low-temperature co-precipitation method. Zinc doping in CuO created surface defects that enhanced oxygen adsorption on the surface crucial for gas sensing applications. Pure and Zn-doped CuO sensor films were realized using the doctor blade method. The sensor films showed selective response towards a low concentration of NO2 at a lower operating temperature of 150 °C. Doping with Zn causes the resistance of the sensor film to decrease due to the enhancement of charge carriers with an analogous improvement in the sensor response. The observed decrease in sensor resistance agreed well with the findings of the work function studies. Zinc doping resulted in an increase in work function by 180 meV which, after NO2 exposure, was found to increase by a further 130 meV, attributed to the oxidizing behavior of the test gas.

Comparison of Electrical and Sensing Properties of Pure, Sn- and Zn-Doped CuO Gas Sensors

In this paper, the evaluation of the gas sensing performance of chemoresistive sensor devices based on M-doped CuO (M = Sn, Zn) nanoparticles prepared by a simple wet chemical method is reported. The morphology of samples has been assessed by scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. The sensors were fabricated, depositing by drop coating the nanoparticles on the sensor substrate platform, and the electrical performance upon exposure to different gases in the air was recorded. The CuO-based gas sensors present a p-type semiconductor behavior. The results of electrical tests have shown that Sn and Zn effectively act as promoters improving the gas sensing properties of CuO toward some volatile organic compounds such as acetone and ethanol. Zn–CuO sensor resulted the most sensitive and selective to acetone, revealing that the appropriate choice of dopant plays a key role in the design of CuO-based sensors.

Zn-doping to improve the hydration level sensing performance of CuO films

Many previous works have reported the importance of hydration level monitoring especially during the high exercise activity in warm environments. Herein, we report the hydration level monitoring properties of the ZnxCu1−xO (x = 0, 0.05 and 0.1) nanostructures in the wide range of artificial sweat concentrations. Nanostructured CuO films were sequentially synthesized via the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. The morphological, microstructural, optical, and sensing response of the produced samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), (UV–vis) spectrophotometer and current–voltage (I–V) measurements, respectively. XRD patterns of the films revealed that the mean crystallite size is decreasing from ~ 13.50 to ~ 11.03 nm with increasing Zn content. From UV–visible spectrum, it was determined that the optical energy band gap (Eg) of the films changes with the Zn content in the growth solution and it was in the range of (1.40–1.53) eV. A considerable improvement in hydration level sensing properties was noticed for 1 M% Zn-doped CuO films for all concentration levels. The results provide a new approach to fabricate high performance nanostructured metal oxide based hydration level monitoring devices.

Phyto-mediated synthesized multifunctional Zn/CuO NPs hybrid nanoparticles for enhanced activity for kidney cancer therapy: A complete physical and biological analysis

Cancer in human society is one of the most problematic health issue responsible for outnumbered deaths worldwide. The consumption of developed NPs in cancer diagnosis is a rapidly emerging field of bio-medical nanotechnology. Recent years, greener synthesized metal oxide hybrid nanoparticles have attracted great attention in cytotoxicity to different cancer therapy. Herein, we report that Duchesnea indica plant mediated green synthesis plant extract mediated Zn doped CuO (Zn/CuO) nanoparticles (NPs) prepared by hydrothermal method and these physico-chemical properties were characterized by XRD, UV-DRS, FTIR, and SEM with EDAX analytical techniques. The XRD pattern findings indicated that the crystal structure of the base CuO matrix are not distorted by the substitution of Cu2+ (0.73 Å) ions by Zn2+ (0.65 Å) ions. The average crystallite size of undoped and Zn/CuO NPs samples are found to be in between the range of 23 to 36 nm. And we can see that the Zn/CuO NPs are large aggregates, containing small particles with sizes of 100–300 nm with spherical shaped morphology by SEM and TEM microscopic images. The normal cell viability and cancer cell inhibition results on A-498 cancer cells and also normal human epithelial cells exhibited that no significant changes in the cell viability with normal kidney epithelial cells and doped NPs given excellent cell inhibition treated on A-498 kidney tumor cells.

Highly selective and efficient room temperature NO2 gas sensors based on Zn-doped CuO nanostructure-rGO hybrid

In the present work nanostructures of Zn-doped CuO with nominal compositions Cu1−xZnxO (x = 0, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, 0.10, 0.15) have been synthesized via wet chemical method. The field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) results show the formation of 1-D nanochain type morphology in pristine CuO and the same is retained up to Zn doping of 7% (x = 0.07). However, for higher Zn doping (x > 0.07) microflower type morphology is observed. The thin films of the as-synthesized pristine and Zn-doped CuO-reduced graphene oxide (rGO) hybrid materials have been fabricated by drop casting method on glass substrates to study their electrical and gas sensing behavior. The temperature dependent resistance measurements confirm semiconducting behavior of the hybrid films. The gas sensing performances of all hybrid films for NO2 gas have been systematically investigated. The results demonstrate that Zn doping in CuO remarkably increases the gas sensing response as compared to pristine CuO. For example, 5% Zn-doped CuO-rGO hybrid sensor shows percentage response of ~ 54.5, whereas pristine CuO-rGO hybrid sensor shows percentage response of ~ 19.6. Furthermore, sensing performance of hybrid films initially increases with increasing x up to x = 0.07 and after this it starts decreasing with x. The measurements of sensing response for x = 0.05 in the temperature range 296–343 K for 40 ppm NO2 exhibit maximum response at room temperature (296 K) and the lowest detection limit of ~ 6 ppm NO2. Moreover, the hybrid sensors exhibit almost negligible response to other gases like CO, NH3, H2S and Cl2 at room temperature, indicating their excellent selectivity towards NO2 gas. The detail correlations between the microstructural characteristics of Zn doped CuO nanostructures and gas sensing behavior of the corresponding hybrid films have been discussed and described in this paper.