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Ag:Y2O3–SnO2 core-shell-based nanostructured sensor for achieving high ammonia sensing performance

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Abstract

Owing to the requirement for high-performing and low-cost gas sensors, Ag:Y2O3–SnO2 core-shell nanocomposites were fabricated for high-efficiency gas sensing applications. Thick film sensor of Ag:Y2O3–SnO2 was prepared through a simple slurry coating method and tested towards various volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Ag:Y2O3–SnO2 sensor has exhibited superior sensing performance and good stability at room temperature when introduced to low concentrations (1 ppm) of ammonia. Ag:Y2O3–SnO2 sensor has shown a rapid response time (2 s) and recovery time (8 s) as well as increased sensitivity (̴̴ 1496) towards 100 ppm of ammonia at room temperature. HR-TEM results show the core–shell structure of Ag:Y2O3–SnO2 with sizes around 6–18 nm. The sensing performance of the Ag:Y2O3–SnO2 sensor is shown extensively high compared to the pure Y2O3, SnO2 and Y2O3–SnO2 sensors.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Head, Department of Physics, Osmania University, Hyderabad for providing the necessary experimental facilities to carry out this work. The authors (JS & NJB) thankful to DST, New Delhi, India for providing financial assistance in the form of INSPIRE FELLOWSHIP during the research work. One of the authors (MVRR) thanks DST-SERB (File No: EMR/2017/002651) for providing the necessary financial support to carry out this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Thin Films and Nano Materials Research Laboratory, Department of Physics, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500007, India

    Julakanti Shruthi & M. V. Ramana Reddy

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, 34141, South Korea

    Nagabandi Jayababu

  3. Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Berhampur, Berhampur, Odisha, 760010, India

    Nagabandi Jayababu

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  1. Julakanti Shruthi
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Shruthi, J., Jayababu, N. & Reddy, M.V.R. Ag:Y2O3–SnO2 core-shell-based nanostructured sensor for achieving high ammonia sensing performance. Appl. Phys. A 128, 999 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-022-06142-3

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