synthesis of noble-metal doped tin dioxide nanohybrid and its application in the chemiresistive sensors

sno₂ quantum dots and doped sno₂ nanohybrid were synthesized and evaluated as chemiresistive gas sensors for methane detection at moderate temperatures. sno₂-qds were synthesized through one pot hydrothermal method and doped with noble metal catalyst. the sensors response to 1000ppm ch₄ were measured at the temperature range of 100-300^oc. our experiments demonstrated that presence of the dopants increased the response of sno₂-qd sensor toward methane gas from 12.5% to 52% at 200^oc. on the other hand, sensing optimum operating temperature for methane, reduced from 300oc for sno₂-qd to 200^oc for the hybrid sno₂; addition of the catalysts improved the sensing characteristics of gas sensor and the device could operate at lower temperatures. the nanostructured hybrid materials were characterized by x-ray diffractometer (xrd) and field emission scanning electron microscope (fesem).