Rational design of semiconductor metal oxide nanomaterials for gas sensing by template-assisted synthesis: a survey

Abstract

Gas sensors have received extensive attention because of the gas pollution caused by rapid construction of urbanization and industrialization. Gas sensors based on semiconductor metal oxide (SMO) have the advantages of high response, excellent repeatability, stability, and cost-effectiveness, and have become extremely important components in the gas sensor field. Materials with regular structures and controllable morphology exhibit more consistent and repeatable performance. However, during the process of material synthesis, because of the uncontrollability of the microcosm, nanomaterials often show irregularities, unevenness, and other shortcomings. Thus, the synthesis of gas sensors with well-aligned one-dimensional (1D) structures, two-dimensional (2D) layered structures, and three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical structures has received extensive attention. To obtain regular structured nanomaterials with desired morphologies and dimensions, a template-assisted synthesis method with low cost and controllable process seems a very efficient strategy. In this review, we introduce the morphology and performance of SMO sensors with 1D, 2D, and 3D structures, discuss the impact of a variety of morphologies on gas sensor performance (response and stability), and shed new light on the synthesis of gas sensing materials with stable structure and excellent performance.

Keywords

Gas sensors / Chemi-resistors / Template-assisted methods / Nanostructure / Dimension

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2023 Zhejiang University Press