Effective hydrogen gas nanosensor based on bead-like nanowires of platinum-decorated tin oxide

Development of low-cost and effective gas nanosensors for early detection and warning of hydrogen leakage is of crucial importance to prevent disastrous hydrogen explosion. Herein, we introduce the synthesis of Pt-decorated bead-like tin oxide nanowires for the effective detection of hydrogen, in which the Sn and Pt were sputter deposited in sequence over the porous single-wall carbon nanotubes film templates, followed by the oxidation process. The gas-sensing properties of undecorated and Pt-decorated nanosensors to H2, NH3, and NOx are investigated to determine the effect of the Pt decoration on sensor performance. Results show that the Pt decoration enhances the responsivity to the reducing gases (H2 and NH3) and decreases to the oxidizing gas (NOx). The response to hydrogen of the Pt-decorated nanosensor is approximately 5.7 times higher than that of its undecorated counterpart and is thus effective for the detection of hydrogen concentrations at the lower explosive limit with a fast response time of less than a minute.