Mesoporous tin dioxide nanopowders based sensors to selectively detect ethanol vapor

In the paper, mesoporous SnO2 nanopowders were synthesized via a simple and mild SnCl4 hydrolysis process using cationic surfactant (cetyltrime thylammonium bromide, CTAB: CH3(CH2)15N+(CH3)3Br−) as structure directing agent and ammonia as an alkali source at room temperature, combined with a subsequent calcination process. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nitrogen adsorption–desorption experiment. A gas sensor was fabricated from the as-prepared mesoporous SnO2 nanopowders and used to test the response to different concentrations of ethanol, methanol, hexane, NH3, H2 and CO at different operating temperatures. The results showed that the mesoporous SnO2 sensor exhibited high sensitivity, good selectivity and quick response–recovery characteristics to ethanol, implying the potential application of the sensor for detecting ethanol.

► Mesoporous SnO2 nanopowders were synthesized via a simple and mild surfactant-assisted.
► The SnO2 sample cacined at 300 °C had a high BET surface area and an ordered mesoporous structure.
► The SnO2 sensor exhibited high sensitivity and quick response-recovery characteristics to ethanol.
► The SnO2 sensor also showed good selectivity to ethanol.