Chemical Investigation of the NO_x Detection Mechanisms by Semiconductor Metal Oxide Nanoparticles

摘要

This work reports an FTIR study of the NO_x adsorption/desorption cycles on tin oxide nanosized particles under the operating conditions of real sensors (150℃,in presence of O_2).The chemical reactions are monitored in situ and correlated with the variations of the SnO_2 electrical conductivity.On the basis of the FTIR spectra,two contributing mechanisms for the NO_x detection are suggested.The first one presents the formation of bridged nitrate groups bound to the SnO_2 surface via oxygen vacancies acting as electron donor sites.The second mechanism also involves surface oxygen vacancies in the coordination of NO_x,but this time the formation of NO_x anionic species is considered.Both mechanisms lead to the decrease of the electrical conductivity under NO_x adsorption.However,the bridged nitrate groups are not reversible under gas desorption and thus irreversibly contaminate the surface after the first NO_x adsorption.On the contrary,the nitrosyl anionic species are reversible and,from the second NO_x adsorption/desorption cycle,ensure the reproducibility of the sensor response.