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Frontiers of Materials Science

ISSN 2095-025X

ISSN 2095-0268(Online)

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Front. Mater. Sci.    2021, Vol. 15 Issue (4) : 621-631    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11706-021-0580-6
RESEARCH ARTICLE
The rapid detection for methane of ZnO porous nanoflakes with the decoration of Ag nanoparticles
Liuyang HAN1, Saisai ZHANG1(), Bo ZHANG1, Bowen ZHANG1, Yan WANG2, Hari BALA1, Zhanying ZHANG1,2()
1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Cultivating Base for Key Laboratory of Environment-friendly Inorganic Materials in University of Henan Province, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454000, China
2. State Key Laboratory Cultivation Bases for Gas Geology and Gas Control (Henan Polytechnic University), Jiaozuo 454000, China
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Abstract

Realizing the real-time detection of CH4 is important for the safety of human life. A facile hydrothermal method was used to synthesize Ag nanoparticles-decorated ZnO porous nanoflakes (PNFs) in this study. The characterization results confirmed that Ag nanoparticles had been decorated in ZnO nanoflakes with the thickness of ~10 nm. The gas-sensing properties of Ag-decorated ZnO nanoflakes were also investigated. While the gas-sensing performances of ZnO were remarkably improved by decorating Ag nanoparticles on the surface of ZnO nanoflakes, the response of the Ag-decorated ZnO sensor to 3000 ppm CH4 is almost 1.3 times as high as that of pristine ZnO sensor. The obtained Ag/ZnO sensor exhibits better long-term stability and shorter response recovery time (5/38 s) in the comparison with pristine ZnO, demonstrating the possibility for the actual detection of CH4. The enhanced CH4 sensing performance can be attributed to the synergism between the unique hierarchical porous structure and the sensitizing actions utilized by the Ag nanoparticles.
Keywords hierarchical structure      ZnO porous nanoflake      Ag nanoparticle      methane sensitivity     
Corresponding Author(s): Saisai ZHANG,Zhanying ZHANG   
Online First Date: 07 December 2021    Issue Date: 28 December 2021
 Cite this article:   
Liuyang HAN,Saisai ZHANG,Bo ZHANG, et al. The rapid detection for methane of ZnO porous nanoflakes with the decoration of Ag nanoparticles[J]. Front. Mater. Sci., 2021, 15(4): 621-631.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/foms/EN/10.1007/s11706-021-0580-6
https://academic.hep.com.cn/foms/EN/Y2021/V15/I4/621
Fig.1  Chemical gas sensor-4 temperature pressure small intelligent gas sensing analysis system.
Fig.2  (a) XRD patterns of ZnO and Ag/ZnO PNFs. (b) XRD partial magnification of the Ag/ZnO sample.
Fig.3  (a) TEM and (b) HRTEM images of ZnO. (c) TEM and (d) HRTEM images of Ag/ZnO.
Fig.4  SEM images: (a)(b) ZnO; (c)(d) Ag/ZnO PNFs. (e) EDS element mappings and (f) energy spectrum recorded from panel (d).
Fig.5  XPS spectra of ZnO and Ag/ZnO: (a) survey; (b) Zn 2p; (c) Ag 3d; (d) O 1s.
Fig.6  (a) N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms and (b) pore-size distributions of ZnO and Ag/ZnO.
Fig.7  Temperature-dependent responses of sensors based on ZnO and Ag/ZnO towards 1000 ppm CH4.
Fig.8  (a) Concentration-dependent responses of the sensors based on different samples. (b) Dynamic response curves towards various CH4 concentrations of the sensors. (c) The resistance transient of the sensors to 5000 ppm CH4 and (d) the stability of the sensors to 5000 ppm at 270 °C. (e) The repeatability of the sensors to 3000 ppm CH4. (f) Selectivity histograms of ZnO and Ag/ZnO.
Material c(CH4)/ppm T/°C Response Ref.
8% g-C3N4/ZnO 2000 RT a) 2 [46]
WO3/Rh-2 0.16 350 1.7 [47]
2.5 mol.% Pd/SnO2 100 340 4.38 [48]
3 wt.% g-C3N4/ZnO 100 320 2.56 [49]
SnO2 films 5000 700 1.3 [50]
SnO2 4000 600 0.6 [51]
Ag/ZnO 500 270 2.288 this work
Tab.1  Comparison of CH4 gas-sensitive performance in different reports
Fig.9  Schematic diagram of the sensing mechanism of (a)(b) ZnO and (c)(d) Ag/ZnO materials.
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