Rapid synthesis of rGO-MoO3 hybrids and mechanism of enhancing sensing performance to H2S

Hybrids of reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-MoO3 nanorods were synthesized successfully by a facile in situ solution growth method under a relatively low temperature of 150 degrees C for 1 h. The structure and properties of the hybrids have been characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, Raman, PL and XPS analysis. The sensing performance of pure MoO3 and rGO-MoO3 hybrids to H2S were examined, the results indicate that the hybrids exhibit higher response and lower operating temperature compared with the pure MoO3 nanorods, especially, the 2.5 wt% rGO-MoO3 hybrid exhibits the highest sensitivity and the fastest response to H2S, which makes them promising candidates in the field of gas sensors for detection of H2S gas. The sensing mechanism for MoO3 to H2S which is enhanced is also discussed in detail from rGO action in the hybrid and formation of a hetero-junction at the interface of the hybrid.