Synthesis, UV response, and room-temperature ethanol sensitivity of undoped and Pd-doped coral-like SnO2

• Published in: Journal of nanoparticle research : an interdisciplinary forum for nanoscale science and technology 2013-10, Vol.15 (10), p.1, Article 1998
• Main Authors: Guo, Chunliang, Lin, Zhidong, Song, Wenlong, Wang, Xuehua, Huang, Yangyi, Wang, Ke
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemical synthesis methods; Chemistry and Materials Science; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Ethanol; Exact sciences and technology; Inorganic Chemistry; Lasers; Light intensity; Low-dimensional structures (superlattices, quantum well structures, multilayers): structure, and nonelectronic properties; Materials Science; Methods of nanofabrication; Nanoparticles; Nanoscale materials: clusters, nanoparticles, nanotubes, and nanocrystals; Nanotechnology; Optical Devices; Optics; Palladium; Photonics; Physical Chemistry; Physics; Pore size; Research Paper; Sensors; Solid surfaces and solid-solid interfaces; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography; Surface area; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Ultraviolet radiation
• ISSN: 1388-0764; 1572-896X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11051-013-1998-2

Coral-like mesoporous SnO 2 was synthesized by controlled hydrolysis of SnCl 4 and subsequent removal of the template by calcination in air. The obtained powder was doped directly with palladium chloride solution. The morphology, crystal structure, specific surface area, and photoelectrical and ethanol gas-sensing properties of undoped and Pd-doped coral-like SnO 2 were investigated. The average crystalline sizes of undoped and Pd-doped SnO 2 were estimated by Williamson–Hall plots to be 10.3 and 10.0 nm, respectively. From the N 2 adsorption–desorption analysis, the pure sample had a surface area 63.3 m 2 /g with pore size distribution narrowly centered around 5.7 nm. The film sensors based on undoped and Pd-doped SnO 2 exhibited novel photoelectrical properties. The photocurrents of the sensors decreased with increasing UV light intensity. The response of the Pd-doped SnO 2 sensor to 500 ppm ethanol was 35.3 under UV illumination at room temperature. The results demonstrated that Pd doping could achieve room-temperature detection to ethanol under UV light radiation.