title: Chromium and ruthenium-doped zinc oxide thin films for propane sensing applications.
abstract: Chromium and ruthenium-doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Cr) and (ZnO:Ru) thin solid films were deposited on soda-lime glass substrates by the sol-gel dip-coating method. A 0.6 M solution of zinc acetate dihydrate dissolved in 2-methoxyethanol and monoethanolamine was used as basic solution. Chromium (III) acetylacetonate and Ruthenium (III) trichloride were used as doping sources. The Ru incorporation and its distribution profile into the films were proved by the SIMS technique. The morphology and structure of the films were studied by SEM microscopy and X-ray diffraction measurements, respectively. The SEM images show porous surfaces covered by small grains with different grain size, depending on the doping element, and the immersions number into the doping solutions. The sensing properties of ZnO:Cr and ZnO:Ru films in a propane (C3H8) atmosphere, as a function of the immersions number in the doping solution, have been studied in the present work. The highest sensitivity values were obtained for films doped from five immersions, 5.8 and 900, for ZnO:Cr and ZnO:Ru films, respectively. In order to evidence the catalytic effect of the chromium (Cr) and ruthenium (Ru), the sensing characteristics of undoped ZnO films are reported as well.
authors.affiliation: Área académica de Computación, ICBI, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Mineral de la Reforma, Hidalgo, Mexico. gpozos@uaeh.edu.mx
authors.forename: Heberto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gómez-Pozos
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: González-Vidal
authors.forename: Gonzalo Alberto
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Baez
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maldonado
authors.forename: María de la Luz
authors.initials: Mde L
authors.lastname: Olvera
authors.forename: Dwight Roberto
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Acosta
authors.forename: Maximino
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Avendaño-Alejo
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Castañeda
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D002857:Chromium / Q000737:chemistry*; D005782:Gels; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D044367:Phase Transition; D011407:Propane / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012428:Ruthenium / Q000737:chemistry*; D012996:Solutions / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D012996:Solutions; D002857:Chromium; D012428:Ruthenium; D015034:Zinc Oxide; D011407:Propane