Synthesis and Characterization of SnO2/BNNTs Nanocomposite for Ethanol Vapour Sensing at Room Temperature

Abstract

Ethanol vapour sensors based on tin oxide (SnO2) nanoparticles onto boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) have been synthesized as a promising solution for detecting ethanol vapour in air. The existence of encapsulation of BNNTs over SnO2 i.e. SnO2/BNNT was confirmed by AFM, FTIR and current-voltage characteristics. Activation energy of sensor has been investigated to study the nature of synthesized material. Ethanol sensitivity, responsiveness and response-recovery durations of the SnO2-BNNTs sensor, as well as other sensing features, was examined by exposure to various ethanol vapour concentrations starting from 70 to 500 mL/min at room temperature with increasing rate of pressure value at room temperature. The SnO2 nanoparticles have a high sensitivity to ethanol vapour, while BNNTs enhance the sensing performance and stability of the sensor. This is achieved by combining BNNT (large surface area) and SnO2 (good electrical conductivity). The ethanol vapour sensor based on SnO2-BNNTs has been shown to have a good response and recovery time around 1 min and 2 s, respectively. With its high sensitivity of ~110 and stability, it is an excellent option for practical applications.