Selective Vapor Sensing on Nanostructured SnO2 Materials: a global strategy approach
Résumé
Gas detection is of great interest for many different applications such as domestic and industrial security or air quality supervision. Today, the most common gas-sensing devices, produced at low cost and in vast quantity, are electrochemical and metal oxide semi-conductor devices.
For years, our team has been involved in the research of original synthesis of SnO2 nanostructured materials by an organometallic approach. Monodispersed nanocomposites particles of Sn/SnOx have notably been synthesized by decomposition of an amine derivative precursor, [(Sn(NMe2)2]2. These nanoparticles have also proven an industrial application in the detection of automotive driven target gas (CO, NO2). Moreover, our team has developed expertise in synthesis of noble nanoparticles (Ru, Pt, Pd...) especially for application in catalysis. These nanoparticles are also of great interest for improvement of sensibility and selectivity in metal oxide doping.
A full study and the manufacture of tin oxide gas sensors aimed towards an industrial selective detection has been launched. This study has focused on cabin air quality especially concerning odorous gases present in an automobile environment. A template with an interdigit structure has been optimized and manufactured at the LAAS. SnO2 nanomaterial synthesized by an organometallic non-aqueous approach and deposited on an SiO2 template by an inkjet technique has been studied. The doping in colloidal solution of noble metals (Ru, Pt) has been realized in various ways such as by colloidal mixing or by decomposition in situ on SnO2. Finally, gas tests have been performed on doped and undoped sensitive layers. We have focused special attention on acetaldehyde and ammoniac as reference odorous gases. The sensors developed have shown good sensibility to these two gases, yielding interesting perspectives on the selective gas detection of odorous gas in automobile cabins