Novel SnO2 hierarchical nanostructures: Synthesis and their gas sensing properties

In this work, 3D SnO2 with a hierarchical structure, which was built by numerous one-dimensional tetragonal prism nanorods, had been firstly synthesized by a facile one-step hydrothermal route at 200 degrees C in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The cationic surfactant CTAB played a key role in forming the 3D SnO2 hierarchical structure composed of nanorods. In addition, the novel SnO2 hierarchical structure exhibited good gas-sensing properties. The gas sensor showed good selectivity to ethanol gas. Moreover, a linear dependence of the sensitivity on the ethanol concentration was observed, it suggested that the sensor fabricated by SnO2 hierarchical structures is very suitable to detect ethanol with low concentration. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.