Enhanced ethanol gas-sensing property based on hollow MoO3 microcages.

Abstract In this work, hollow MoO 3 microcages were triumphantly synthesized using a facile hydrothermal method without any template, and a possible growth mechanism of this microstructure arising from the co-effect of inside-out Ostward-ripening mechanism and the acidic etching was speculated. Subsequently, gas sensor based on such MoO 3 with hollow characteristic was fabricated to investigate the gas-sensing properties for ethanol as compared to solid MoO 3 polyhedrons. It was found that the hollow cages exhibited lager ethanol gas response than that of solid polyhedrons. The enhanced sensing behavior may originate from its unique hollow structures, leading to sufficient sensing reaction on the surface as well as abundant gas diffusion. Graphical abstract The hollow MoO 3 microcages were successfully synthesized via a simple hydrothermal method without any template. Such hollow structure based sensor presented enhanced gas response to ethanol than that of solid MoO 3 polyhedrons based sensor. The hollow nature led to sufficient sensing reaction on the surface as well as abundant gas diffusion. Image 1 Highlights • Hollow MoO 3 microcages were successfully synthesized. • The gas sensor based on the MoO 3 presented enhanced gas response to ethanol. • The hollow structure of the MoO 3 cages enhanced surface sensing reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]