Enhanced NH3 gas sensing performance based on electrospun alkaline-earth metals composited SnO2 nanofibers

One-dimensional alkaline-earth metals composited SnO2 (Ae/SnO2) nanofibres were fabricated via electrospinning technique, followed by thermal treatment at 600 °C for 5 h. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies showed that the nanoparticles size of Ae/SnO2 was 5-7 nm, which was smaller than the pristine SnO2 nanorods attached by 20 nm nanoparticles. Moreover, Sr/SnO2 nanocomposites showed uniform nanotubes structure with the wall thickness of about 30 nm, in which all the nanoparticles were connected to their neighbors by necks. The Sr/SnO2 nanotubes exhibited an excellent sensing response toward NH3 gas at room temperature, lower detection limit (10 ppm), faster response time (6 s towards 2000 ppm∼16 s towards 10 ppm) and better reversibility compared to the pristine SnO2 nanorods. The enhanced sensor performances were attributed to the higher conductivity of the Sr/SnO2. Mott-Schottky plots (M-S) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements indicated that the carrier density of Sr/SnO2 nanotubes was 3 fold of that pristine SnO2.