Effect of Au nanoparticle size on the gas-sensing performance of p-CuO nanowires

•Au NPs-functionalized networked p-CuO nanowires were grown.•Au functionalization greatly enhanced the gas-sensing abilities of the CuO nanowires.•The CuO NWs showed the best response at an optimized Au size.•The size optimization of the metal nanoparticles is essential for superior sensing properti...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sensors and actuators. B, Chemical Chemical, 2016-01, Vol.222, p.307-314
Main Authors: Lee, Jun-Seong, Katoch, Akash, Kim, Jae-Hun, Kim, Sang Sub
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Actuators
Au nanoparticle
CuO nanowire
Deposition
Detection
Electrodes
Gas sensor
Gold
Nanowires
Oxidation
Oxides
Sensing mechanism
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:•Au NPs-functionalized networked p-CuO nanowires were grown.•Au functionalization greatly enhanced the gas-sensing abilities of the CuO nanowires.•The CuO NWs showed the best response at an optimized Au size.•The size optimization of the metal nanoparticles is essential for superior sensing properties of nanowires. Networked p-CuO nanowires (NWs) were grown on a patterned electrode pad by the thermal oxidation of an electron-beam-deposited Cu layer. The Au nanoparticles (NPs) were then functionalized on CuO NWs by the heat treatment of an Au layer deposited by sputtering. The diameter of the functionalized Au NPs could be controlled in the range of 20–145nm by changing the thickness of the deposited Au layers. The sensing properties of the Au-functionalized networked CuO NWs for representative oxidizing (NO2) and reducing (CO) gases were investigated. Au functionalization greatly enhanced the gas-sensing abilities of the CuO NWs. The CuO NWs showed the best sensing properties when they were functionalized with 60nm-diameter Au NPs. This suggests that the size optimization of the metal NPs for functionalization is essential for obtaining the superior sensing properties of oxide NWs.
ISSN:0925-4005
1873-3077
DOI:10.1016/j.snb.2015.08.037