Enhanced NH3 gas sensing properties of a QCM sensor by increasing the length of vertically orientated ZnO nanorods

• Published in: Applied surface science 2013-01, Vol.265, p.458-464
• Main Authors: Minh, Vu Anh, Tuan, Le Anh, Huy, Tran Quang, Hung, Vu Ngoc, Quy, Nguyen Van
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alignment; Clusters, nanoparticles, and nanocrystalline materials; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Electrodes; Exact sciences and technology; Gas sensors; General equipment and techniques; Hydrothermal method; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Microbalances; Nanorods; Nanoscale materials: clusters, nanoparticles, nanotubes, and nanocrystals; Physics; QCM; Quartz crystals; Sensors; Sensors (chemical, optical, electrical, movement, gas, etc.); remote sensing; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography; Zinc oxide; ZnO nanorods
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2012.11.028

▸ Vertically aligned ZnO nanorods were directly synthesised on a substrate by a simple low-temperature hydrothermal method. ▸ Highly sensitive mass-type NH3 gas sensor was fabricated by using QCM coated with ZnO nanorods. ▸ Increasing in the length of ZnO nanorods will increase the sensitive surface area and sensing characteristics. Vertically aligned ZnO nanorods were directly synthesised on a gold electrode of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) by a simple low-temperature hydrothermal method for a NH3 gas sensing application. The length of vertically aligned ZnO nanorods was increased to purpose enhancement in the gas sensing response of the sensor. The length of ZnO nanorods increased with an increase in growth time. The growth time of ZnO nanorods was systematically varied in the range of 1–4h to examine the effect of the length of the ZnO nanorods on the gas sensing properties of the fabricated sensors. The gas sensing properties of sensors with different ZnO nanorods lengths was examined at room temperature for various concentrations of NH3 (50–800ppm) in synthetic air. Enhancement in gas sensing response by increasing the length of ZnO nanorods was observed.