Surface characterization and gas sensing performance of yttrium doped TiO2 nanofilms prepared by automated nebulizer spray pyrolysis (ANSP)

YxTi1−xO2 nanofilms were deposited on glass substrate at 500 °C by automated nebulizer spray pyrolysis route. The influence of yttrium concentration on XRD shows the stabilized anatase tetragonal polycrystalline nature and *(222), *(400) plane orientation of Y2O3 were revealed by Y = 10%. An XPS spectrum reveals the primary elements such as O 1s, Ti 2p, Y 3d, Ti 3p and C 1s with a binding energy respectively. The morphological study of FESEM shows the modification from granular spherical to honeycomb structure based on yttrium concentration. Optical study shows the blue shift of sharp absorption edge with increased band gap values (E g = 3.20 eV–3.78 eV) is depends upon Y concentration. Notably, gas sensing performance of YxTi1−xO2 shows the highest sensitivity response to Y = 10% (Y0.10Ti9.90O2) of NH3 at 150 °C with 300 ppm gas concentration and all the films exhibits better sensitivity response in order to NH3 > C2H6O > C3H6O> CH4O > C3H8O.