1. Highly sensitive humidity sensors based on Sb-doped ZnSnO3 nanoparticles with very small sizes
- Author
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Ming Zhang, Bingkun Guan, Tao Fu, Zhi Xu, Jidong Li, Ting Yang, Qiuhong Li, Ming Zhuo, and Yuejiao Chen
- Subjects
Materials science ,medicine.diagnostic_test ,Scanning electron microscope ,Doping ,Analytical chemistry ,Humidity ,Nanoparticle ,General Chemistry ,Condensed Matter Physics ,Hydrothermal circulation ,Transmission electron microscopy ,Spectrophotometry ,medicine ,General Materials Science ,Relative humidity - Abstract
Highly sensitive and fast responding humidity sensors were fabricated based on Sb-doped ZnSnO3 fine nanoparticles, which were synthesized via a dual-hydrolysis-assisted liquid precipitation reaction and subsequent hydrothermal procedure. The nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-visible spectrophotometry. The results demonstrated that ZnSnO3 nanocubes evolved into Sb-doped ZnSnO3 nanoparticles with doping by Sb. This evolution facilitated their application in humidity sensing. At room temperature, the resistance of the humidity sensors based on Sb-doped ZnSnO3 at 30% relative humidity (RH) was 130 times greater than that in air with 85% RH. The response and recovery times were 7.5 s and 33.6 s, respectively, when the sensors were switched between 30% and 85% RH. These results are much better than those reported so far. The present results may present new opportunities for the practical application of high-performance humidity sensors at room temperature.
- Published
- 2014
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