title: Ag/ZnO nanomaterials as high performance sensors for flammable and toxic gases.
abstract: Ag/ZnO nanocomposites supported on polycrystalline Al2O3 were synthesized by an unprecedented approach combining plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PE-CVD) of ZnO matrices and the subsequent deposition of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) by radio frequency (RF) sputtering. The system structure, composition and morphology were investigated by glancing incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXRD), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDXS). A tailored dispersion and distribution of silver particles could be obtained under mild conditions by the sole variation of the sputtering time. Gas sensing properties toward flammable and toxic gases, both reducing (CH3CH2OH, CH3COCH3) and oxidizing (O3), were investigated in the temperature range 100-400 °C. Beside the high sensitivity, the developed sensors exhibited a response proportional to Ag content, thanks to catalytic and electronic effects promoted by silver NPs. In addition, discrimination between oxidizing and reducing analytes was enabled by a suitable choice of the adopted working temperature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Padova University and INSTM, 35131 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Quentin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Barreca
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gasparotto
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maccato
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tondello
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sada
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Comini
authors.forename: Anjana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Devi
authors.forename: Roland A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Fischer
mesh_terms: D005740:Gases / Q000032:analysis*; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry*; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005740:Gases; D012834:Silver; D015034:Zinc Oxide