Development of metal oxide nanostructure micro sensor For volatile organic compound sensing

Abstract

Nanostructured metal oxide semiconductors have been regarded as the material with the most newlinepotential use in gas/vapor sensing devices. Significant efforts have been made over the past few newlinedecades to operate sensors at lower working temperature for maximum response but at a faster newlinerate. The present work concerns the development of TiO2 nanostructures with different device newlinestructure for improved Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) detection with enhancement in newlinesensing parameters particularly response magnitude, working temperature, stability, response newlinetime, selectivity, and recovery time. The work was carried out by developing nanoforms of TiO2 newlinelike nanoparticles, nanotubes, and nanosheets and their use in capacitive devices and resistive newlinedevices. The nanoforms were synthesized by hydrothermal (nanosheets and nanoparticles) and newlineelectrochemical anodization (nanotubes) processes. The nanostructures were morphologically, newlinestructurally, and optically characterized by FESEM, XRD, and PL spectroscopy. The detailed newlinecharacterizations confirmed the nanoforms for its application as sensing layers for efficient newlinealcohol detection like ethanol, methanol, and 2-propanol employing different device structures. newlineHydrothermally derived TiO2 nanoparticle based sensor offered better methanol sensing. newline