Liquid Metal-Based Route for Synthesizing and Tuning Gas-Sensing Elements

Abstract

There is a strong demand for developing tunable and facile routes for synthesizing gas-sensitive semiconducting compounds. The concept of synthesizing micro- and nanoparticles of metallic compounds in a tunable process, which relies on liquid metals, is presented here. This is a liquid-based ultrasonication procedure within which additional metallic elements (In, Sn, and Zn) are incorporated into liquid Ga that is sonicated in a secondary solvent. We investigate liquid metal sonication in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and water to show their impact on the size, morphology, and crystal structure of the particulated products. The synthesized materials are annealed to investigate their responses to model reducing (H2) and oxidizing (NO2) gas species. The preparation process in DMSO gives rise to predominantly monoclinic Ga2O3 crystals which are favorable for gas sensing, while the emergence of rhombohedral Ga2O3 phases from the water sonication process led to inactive samples. The ease of tunability without hazardous precursors during the synthesis procedure is demonstrated. The route presented here can be uniquely employed for designing and engineering on-demand functional materials for sensing applications.

Applications of liquid metals in nanotechnology

“…In one example, the formation of binary GaIn, GaSn and GaZn micro and nanodroplets, and secondary annealing step, was investigated for sensing NO 2 and hydrogen (H 2 ). 22 Metal oxides obtained from binary Ga-based nanodroplets were seen to greatly influence the gas sensing properties due to the formation of specific morphologies, particle size, grain and crystal structures. The response and response factors of post-annealed Ga and GaIn-based sensors towards NO 2 and their SEM images and EDS elemental mappings are presented in Fig.…”

“…Adapted with permission. 22 Copyright 2020, ACS Publications. (d) SEM images of the Galinstan-based heavy metal ion sensor showing the WO 3 surface nanocoatings, experimental setup and differential pulse voltammograms of Pb 2+ and Cd 2+ (10 mmol L À1 each) obtained on the Galinstan(bulk)/WO 3 (nano) electrode as a function of initial WO 3 concentration during LM marble synthesis.…”

State-of-the-art surface oxide semiconductors of liquid metals: an emerging platform for development of multifunctional two-dimensional materials

“…The distinct interfacial chemistry of liquid metals has remained mostly unrealized and a majority of the interactions between liquid metal platforms and the surrounding ionic liquids still require further investigation. 176 For instance, the templated synthesis of cupric oxide (CuO) on the surface of a gallium liquid alloy was explored and the mechanism of the room temperature synthesis of 2D CuO lms This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2021 was reported. 177 In this study two approaches were employed to synthesize CuO nanostructures on the surface of galinstan droplets or particles (Fig.…”

Sonochemical Synthesis of Ga/ZnO Nanomaterials from a Liquid Metal for Photocatalytic Applications

“…Olawale Oloye, Joseph F. S. Fernando, Dmitri Golberg, and Anthony P. O'Mullane* DOI: 10.1002/adsu.202100312 for a variety of catalytic applications. [1,5,6] Liquid metals have also been used in actuators, [7][8][9] electronics, [10,11] oscillators, [9] 3D printing, [12] flexible elastomeric composite film for fuel cells, [5] gas sensors, [13,14] and alcohol oxidation reactions. [15] Studies on gallium-based alloys and composites are rapidly emerging, however there are only a few reports available that are devoted to environmental remediation, specifically organic dye degradation.…”