Preparation of Mesoporous and/or Macroporous SnO2-Based Powders and Their Gas-Sensing Properties as Thick Film Sensors

Mesoporous and/or macroporous SnO2-based powders have been prepared and their gas-sensing properties as thick film sensors towards H2 and NO2 have been investigated. The mesopores and macropores of various SnO2-based powders were controlled by self-assembly of sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate and polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) microspheres (ca. 800 nm in diameter), respectively. The introduction of mesopores and macropores into SnO2-based sensors increased their sensor resistance in air significantly. The additions of SiO2 and Sb2O5 into mesoporous and/or macroporous SnO2 were found to improve the sensing properties of the sensors. The addition of SiO2 into mesoporous and/or macroporous SnO2 was found to increase the sensor resistance in air, whereas doping of Sb2O5 into mesoporous and/or macroporous SnO2 was found to markedly reduce the sensor resistance in air, and to increase the response to 1,000 ppm H2 as well as 1 ppm NO2 in air. Among all the sensors tested, meso-macroporous SnO2 added with 1 wt% SiO2 and 5 wt% Sb2O5, which were prepared with the above two templates simultaneously, exhibited the largest H2 and NO2 responses.