Gun-Joo Sun

Synthesis, Structure, and Ethanol Gas Sensing Properties of In2O3 Nanorods Decorated with Bi2O3 Nanoparticles

Bi2O3-decorated In2O3 nanorods were synthesized using a one-step process, and their structure, as well as the effects of decoration of In2O3 nanorods with Bi2O3 on the ethanol gas-sensing properties were examined. The multiple networked Bi2O3-decorated In2O3 nanorod sensor showed responses of 171-1774% at ethanol concentrations of 10-200 ppm at 200 °C. The responses of the Bi2O3-decorated In2O3 nanorod sensor were stronger than those of the pristine-In2O3 nanorod sensors by 1.5-4.9 times at the corresponding concentrations. The two sensors exhibited short response times and long recovery times. The optimal Bi concentration in the Bi2O3-decorated In2O3 nanorod sensor and the optimal operation temperature of the sensor were 20% and 200 °C, respectively. The Bi2O3-decorated In2O3 nanorod sensor showed selectivity for ethanol gas over other gases. The origin of the enhanced response, sensing speed, and selectivity for ethanol gas of the Bi2O3-decorated In2O3 nanorod sensor to ethanol gas is discussed.

Dual Functional Sensing Mechanism in SnO2–ZnO Core–Shell Nanowires

We report a dual functional sensing mechanism for ultrasensitive chemoresistive sensors based on SnO2-ZnO core-shell nanowires (C-S NWs) for detection of trace amounts of reducing gases. C-S NWs were synthesized by a two-step process, in which core SnO2 nanowires were first prepared by vapor-liquid-solid growth and ZnO shell layers were subsequently deposited by atomic layer deposition. The radial modulation of the electron-depleted shell layer was accomplished by controlling its thickness. The sensing capabilities of C-S NWs were investigated in terms of CO, which is a typical reducing gas. At an optimized shell thickness, C-S NWs showed the best CO sensing ability, which was quite superior to that of pure SnO2 nanowires without a shell. The dual functional sensing mechanism is proposed as the sensing mechanism in these nanowires and is based on the combination of the radial modulation effect of the electron-depleted shell and the electric field smearing effect.

An approach to detecting a reducing gas by radial modulation of electron-depleted shells in core–shell nanofibers

Based on the radial modulation of electron-depleted shell layers in SnO2–ZnO core–shell nanofibers (CSNs), a novel approach is proposed for the detection of very low concentrations of reducing gases. In this work, SnO2–ZnO CSNs were synthesized by a two-step process: core SnO2 nanofibers were first prepared by electrospinning, followed by the preparation of ZnO shell layers by atomic layer deposition. The radial modulation of electron depletion in the CSN shells was accomplished by controlling the shell thickness. The sensing capabilities of CSNs were investigated with respect to CO and NO2 that represent typical reducing and oxidizing gases, respectively. In the case of CO at a critical shell thickness, the CSN-based sensors showed greatly improved sensing capabilities compared with those fabricated on the basis of either pure SnO2 or pure ZnO nanofibers. In sharp contrast, CSN sensors revealed inferior sensing capabilities for NO2. The results can be explained by a model based on the radial modulation of the electron-depleted CSN shells. The model suggests that CSNs comprising dissimilar materials having different energy-band structures represent an effective sensing platform for the detection of low concentrations of reducing gases when the shell thickness is equivalent to the Debye length.

Bi-functional mechanism of H2S detection using CuO–SnO2 nanowires

In this study, a bi-functional mechanism is proposed and validated, which may be used to explain all of the reported experimental observations and to predict new sensing control parameters. Fast response and recovery in H2S sensing was then realized by using bi-functional SnO2 nanowires which have been radially modulated with CuO. Firstly, Cu metal nanoparticles were synthesized by applying γ-ray radiolysis. The Cu nanoparticles (attached to the surface of the SnO2 nanowires) were oxidized to the CuO phase by a thermal treatment at 500 °C in air. The H2S sensing characteristics of the CuO-functionalized SnO2 nanowires were compared with those of bare SnO2 nanowires. The results demonstrated that γ-ray radiolysis is an effective means of functionalizing the surface of oxide nanowires with CuO nanoparticles, and CuO functionalization greatly enhanced the ability of the SnO2 nanowires to detect H2S in terms of the response and recovery times. In addition, two control parameters, a 0.5 CuO to SnO2 surface ratio and a sensing temperature range of 80–220 °C, are predicted. The radially modulated nanostructures achieve two functions: (1) the formation and break-away of p–n (CuO–SnO2) junctions, and (2) the formation and dissolution of CuS using CuO–SnO2 solid solutions.

Synergistic Effects of a Combination of Cr2O3-Functionalization and UV-Irradiation Techniques on the Ethanol Gas Sensing Performance of ZnO Nanorod Gas Sensors

There have been very few studies on the effects of combining two or more techniques on the sensing performance of nanostructured sensors. Cr2O3-functionalized ZnO nanorods were synthesized using carbothermal synthesis involving the thermal evaporation of a mixture of ZnO and graphite powders followed by a solvothermal process for Cr2O3-functionalization. The ethanol gas-sensing properties of multinetworked pristine and Cr2O3-functionalized ZnO nanorod sensors under UV illumination were examined to determine the effects of combining Cr2O3-ZnO heterostructure formation and UV irradiation on the gas-sensing properties of ZnO nanorods. The responses of the pristine and Cr2O3-functionalized ZnO nanorod sensors to 200 ppm of ethanol at room temperature by UV illumination at 2.2 mW/cm(2) were increased by 3.8 and 7.7 times, respectively. The Cr2O3-functionalized ZnO nanorod sensor also showed faster response/recovery and better selectivity than those of the pristine ZnO nanorod sensor at the same ethanol concentration. This result suggests that a combination heterostructure formation and UV irradiation had a synergistic effect on the gas-sensing properties of the sensor. The synergistic effect might be attributed to the catalytic activity of Cr2O3 for ethanol oxidation as well as to the increased change in conduction channel width accompanying adsorption and desorption of ethanol under UV illumination due to the presence of Cr2O3 nanoparticles in the Cr2O3-functionalized ZnO nanorod sensor.

Mechanism and prominent enhancement of sensing ability to reducing gases in p/n core-shell nanofiber.

We have devised a sensor system comprising p-CuO/n-ZnO core-shell nanofibers (CS nanofibers) for the detection of reducing gases with a very low concentration. The CS nanofibers were prepared by a two-step process as follows: (1) synthesis of core CuO nanofibers by electrospinning, and (2) subsequent deposition of uniform ZnO shell layers by atomic layer deposition. We have estimated the sensing capabilities of CS nanofibers with respect to CO gas, revealing that the thickness of the shell layer needs to be optimized to obtain the best sensing properties. It is found that the p-CuO/n-ZnO CS structures are suitable for detecting reducing gases at extremely low concentrations. The associated sensing mechanism is proposed on the basis of the radial modulation of an electron-depleted region in the shell layer.

CO gas sensing properties of In4Sn3O12 and TeO2 composite nanoparticle sensors

A simple hydrothermal route was used to synthesize In4Sn3O12 nanoparticles and In4Sn3O12-TeO2 composite nanoparticles, with In(C2H3O2)3, SnCl4, and TeCl4 as the starting materials. The structure and morphology of the synthesized nanoparticles were examined by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The gas-sensing properties of the pure and composite nanoparticles toward CO gas were examined at different concentrations (5-100ppm) of CO gas at different temperatures (100-300°C). SEM observation revealed that the composite nanoparticles had a uniform shape and size. The sensor based on the In4Sn3O12-TeO2 composite nanoparticles showed stronger response to CO than its pure In4Sn3O12 counterpart. The response of the In4Sn3O12-TeO2 composite-nanoparticle sensor to 100ppm of CO at 200°C was 10.21, whereas the maximum response of the In4Sn3O12 nanoparticle sensor was 2.78 under the same conditions. Furthermore, the response time of the composite sensor was 19.73s under these conditions, which is less than one-third of that of the In4Sn3O12 sensor. The improved sensing performance of the In4Sn3O12-TeO2 nanocomposite sensor is attributed to the enhanced modulation of the potential barrier height at the In4Sn3O12-TeO2 interface, the stronger oxygen adsorption of p-type TeO2, and the formation of preferential adsorption sites.

Acceptor-Compensated Charge Transport and Surface Chemical Reactions in Au-Implanted SnO2 Nanowires

A new deep acceptor state is identified by density functional theory calculations, and physically activated by an Au ion implantation technique to overcome the high energy barriers. And an acceptor-compensated charge transport mechanism that controls the chemical sensing performance of Au-implanted SnO2 nanowires is established. Subsequently, an equation of electrical resistance is set up as a function of the thermal vibrations, structural defects (Au implantation), surface chemistry (1 ppm NO2), and solute concentration. We show that the electrical resistivity is affected predominantly not by the thermal vibrations, structural defects, or solid solution, but the surface chemistry, which is the source of the improved chemical sensing. The response and recovery time of chemical sensing is respectively interpreted from the transport behaviors of major and minor semiconductor carriers. This acceptor-compensated charge transport mechanism provides novel insights not only for sensor development but also for research in charge and chemical dynamics of nano-semiconductors.

V-groove SnO2 nanowire sensors: fabrication and Pt-nanoparticle decoration

Networked SnO(2) nanowire sensors were achieved using the selective growth of SnO(2) nanowires and their tangling ability, particularly on on-chip V-groove structures, in an effort to overcome the disadvantages imposed on the conventional trench-structured SnO(2) nanowire sensors. The sensing performance of the V-groove-structured SnO(2) nanowire sensors was highly dependent on the geometrical dimension of the groove, being superior to those of their conventional trench-structured counterparts. Pt nanoparticles were decorated on the surface of the networked SnO(2) nanowires via γ-ray radiolysis to enhance the sensing performances of the V-groove sensors whose V-groove widths had been optimized. The V-groove-structured Pt-nanoparticle-decorated SnO(2) nanowire sensors exhibited outstanding and reliable sensing capabilities towards toluene and nitrogen dioxide gases, indicating their potential for use as a platform for chemical gas sensors.

Selective Oxidizing Gas Sensing and Dominant Sensing Mechanism of n-CaO-Decorated n-ZnO Nanorod Sensors

In this work, we investigated the NO2 and CO sensing properties of n-CaO-decorated n-ZnO nanorods and the dominant sensing mechanism in n-n heterostructured one-dimensional (1D) nanostructured multinetworked chemiresistive gas sensors utilizing the nanorods. The CaO-decorated n-ZnO nanorods showed stronger response to NO2 than most other ZnO-based nanostructures, including the pristine ZnO nanorods. Many researchers have attributed the enhanced sensing performance of heterostructured sensors to the modulation of the conduction channel width or surface depletion layer width. However, the modulation of the conduction channel width is not the true cause of the enhanced sensing performance of n-n heterostructured 1D gas sensors, because the radial modulation of the conduction channel width is not intensified in these sensors. In this work, we demonstrate that the enhanced performance of the n-CaO-decorated n-ZnO nanorod sensor is mainly due to a combination of the enhanced modulation of the potential barrier height at the n-n heterojunctions, the larger surface-area-to-volume ratio and the increased surface defect density of the decorated ZnO nanorods, not the enhanced modulation of the conduction channel width.