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Design and fabrication of Sm2O3/multi-walled carbon nanotube hybrid sensors for detection of LPG and ethanol gases

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Abstract

Hybridizing hierarchically structured Sm2O3 with multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) is highly desirable for improving the performance of Sm2O3-based gas sensors. In this work, we developed a simple solvothermal method combined with heat treatment for the preparation of flower-like Sm2O3/MWCNTs nanocomposites with a flexible three-dimensional nanostructure. The characterization results showed that 4–8 μm Sm2O3 flower-like structures, formed by Sm2O3 nanosheets, were attached to the MWCNTs surface. The Sm2O3-MWCNTs composite possesses a SBET of 212.5 m2g−1 and higher VTot of 0.756 cm3g−1. Gas sensors based on the Sm2O3/MWCNTs nanocomposites exhibited a greater response, better selectivity, lower operating temperature, and good recovery towards acetone compared with pure Sm2O3. Additionally, the sensors show a total recovery of their baseline resistance and reasonable response and recovery times. 5.0 wt% MWCNT-doped Sm2O3 sample is the most sensitive sensor towards LPG and ethanol and the related response value are 18.2 and 14.3. Moreover, the Sm2O3/MWCNT hybrid sensor delivers a response and recovery time of 7 and 10 s, respectively. In addition, the fabricated sensor showed high stability, which is conducted by long period (60 days) sensing response for both gases. The improved mechanism of the fabricated sensor was also discussed in detail.

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The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, upon reasonable request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, R.M.K. College of Engineering and Technology, Chennai, Tamilnadu, 601206, India

    Su. Narmatha

  2. Department of Chemistry, Sona College of Technology, Salem, Tamilnadu, 636005, India

    M. Raja

  3. Department of Chemistry, Panimalar Engineering College, Chennai, Tamilnadu, 600 123, India

    S. Vasanthan

  4. Department of Chemistry, Chettinad College of Engineering and Technology, Karur, Tamilnadu, 639 114, India

    S. Gopinath

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SN and MR: study conceptualization and writing (original draft) the manuscript. SV and SG: data curation, formal analysis and writing (review & editing).

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Narmatha, S., Raja, M., Vasanthan, S. et al. Design and fabrication of Sm2O3/multi-walled carbon nanotube hybrid sensors for detection of LPG and ethanol gases. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 34, 2049 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-023-11447-x

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