Highly sensitive gas sensor based on SnO2 nanorings for detection of isopropanol

Isopropanol has been widely used as solvents and synthetic chemical intermediates in many field, but is very harmful volatile organic compound to human health. Therefore, monitoring of isopropanol is urgently needed. Here we report a facile hydrothermal method to SnO2 nanorings, which can be used as gas sensing materials for isopropanol detection. Measurement results show that the SnO2 nanorings have rapid response, and good repeatability, highly gas sensitivity to isopropanol, and achieving the detection of isopropanol with a low concentration of 1 ppm. Moreover, we also explained the formation mechanism of the SnO2 nanorings, suggesting that bubbles-template-assisted growth mechanism dominates the formation of the SnO2 nanorings. The synthesis approach to SnO2 nanorings and the achievement of detection to isopropanol with a low concentration are of fundamental importance to synthesis of sensing materials and environmental sciences.