Grain Size Control and Ethanol Sensing Properties of Calcined SnO_2 Nanoparticles

摘要

SnO_2 nanoparticles were prepared via a sol-gel method by heating the mixture of hydrous SnO_2 nanoparticles and SiO_2 nanospheres at 600 °C. The average particle size of the obtained SnO_2 nanoparticles is 3.3 nm, smaller than that of the SnO_2 nanoparticles (~ 6.4 nm) prepared by calcining the pure hydrous SnO_2 at 600 °C. The SiO_2 nanospheres play an important role in restricting SnO_2 nanocrystal growth. The -3.3 nm-sized SnO_2 nanoparticles exhibited high sensitivity for ethanol as well as quick response and recovery time. The concentration detection limit can be as low as 5 ppm at room temperature.