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Room temperature hydrogen gas sensor based on nanocrystalline SnO2 thin film using sol–gel spin coating technique

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Abstract

High-quality nanocrystalline (NC) SnO2 thin film was grown on SiO2/Si substrate by sol–gel spin coating technique at low temperature. X-ray diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscopy results observed the high quality of the produced NC SnO2 thin film. A metal–semiconductor-metal (MSM) H2 gas sensor was fabricated utilizing palladium (Pd) metal and NC SnO2 thin film. Hydrogen (H2) sensing capabilities of the NC SnO2 thin film were examined at room temperature (RT), and the sensitivity was 600 % in the presence of 1000 ppm of H2. The sensing measurements for H2 gas at different temperatures (RT to 125 °C) were repeatable for over 50 min. The sensor showed a sensitivity of 1950 % at 125 °C upon exposure to 1000 ppm of H2. A significant variation in the sensitivity of the NC SnO2 thin film sensor was noticed at different concentrations of H2 at different operating temperatures. These high sensitivities are attributed to the increase in adsorption/desorption of gas molecules, which were achieved by increasing the porosity of the NC SnO2 thin film surface by adding glycerin to the sol solution. The high sensitivity of this H2 gas sensor at RT indicated that it has the capability to be used as a portable RT gas sensor.

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Acknowledgments

This work was conducted under FRGS Grant: 203/PFIZIK/6711197 and the support from Universiti Sains Malaysia is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nano-Optoelectronics Research and Technology Laboratory, School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Penang, Malaysia

    Imad H. Kadhim & H. Abu Hassan

  2. Ministry of Education, Baghdad, Iraq

    Imad H. Kadhim

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  1. Imad H. Kadhim
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  2. H. Abu Hassan
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Correspondence to Imad H. Kadhim.

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Kadhim, I.H., Hassan, H.A. Room temperature hydrogen gas sensor based on nanocrystalline SnO2 thin film using sol–gel spin coating technique. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 27, 4356–4362 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-016-4304-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-016-4304-0

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