Ag nanoparticle embedded-ZnO nanorods synthesized via a photochemical method and its gas-sensing properties

A facile photochemical method was used to synthesize Ag nanoparticle (Ag NP) embedded-ZnO nanorods in this article. The as-synthesized Ag NP embedded-ZnO nanorod samples were characterized systematically by TEM, XPS, DSC, XRD and SEM. The characterization results confirmed that Ag NPs had been embedded in ZnO nanorods. The gas-sensing properties of Ag NP embedded-ZnO nanorods were also investigated. While the performances of the sensors can be enhanced by embedding Ag NPs onto the surfaces of ZnO nanorods, the response of Ag NP embedded-ZnO nanorod sensors to 50 ppm ethanol is almost three times as high as that of those made from pure-ZnO nanorods. The responses of the sensors have no apparent degradation after being exposed to ethanol of 30 ppm for 100 days. Our Ag NP embedded-ZnO nanorod sensors have long-term stability and exhibit highly enhanced gas-sensing performances in their response and selectivity for detecting ethanol vapor.