Gas-sensing properties and in-situ diffuse-reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy study of diethyl ether adsorption and reactions on SnO2 film.

Diethyl ether is a common industrial reagent and medical anesthetic. It is necessary to carry out real-time monitoring of this molecule due to its harmful effects on human health. In this paper, a highly sensitive diethyl ether SnO2 gas-sensing material has been prepared by a sol-gel method. The gas sensitivity was tested by a home-made gas-sensing equipment. The surface adsorption and reaction processes between the SnO2 gas-sensing film and the diethyl ether have been studied by in situ diffuse-reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (DRFT-IR) at different temperatures. The results show that the SnO2 gas-sensing material has high sensitivity to diethyl ether, and the lowest detection limit can reach 1 ppm. Furthermore, ethyl (CH3CH2●), oxoethyl (CH3CH2O●), ethanol (CH3CH2OH), formaldehyde (HCHO), acetaldehyde (CH3CHO), ethylene (C2H4), H2O and CO2 surface species are formed during diethyl ether adsorption at different temperatures. A possible mechanism of the reaction process is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]