Resistive-based gas sensors have
been considered as the most favorable
gas sensors for detection of toxic gases and volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) because of their simple structure, low cost, high sensitivity,
ease of use, and high stability. Unfortunately, wide application of
resistive-based gas sensors is limited by their low selectivity. In
this article, we present the fabrication of ultrahigh selective NH3 gas sensor based on tin–titanium dioxide/reduced graphene/carbon
nanotube (Sn–TiO2@rGO/CNT) nanocomposites. The Sn–TiO2@rGO/CNT nanocomposites with different molar ratios of Sn/Ti
(1:10, 3:10, and 5:10) were synthesized via the solvothermal method.
Characterizations by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron
microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the decoration
of Sn–TiO2 nanoparticles on rGO/CNT nanocomposite
surfaces. The Sn–TiO2@rGO/CNT nanocomposite gas
sensor exhibited high response and ultrahigh selectivity to NH3 against toluene, dimethylformamide, acetone, ethanol, methanol,
isopropanol, formaldehyde, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, acetylene, and
VOCs in paint thinners at room temperature. The Sn–TiO2@rGO/CNT nanocomposite gas sensor with molar ratio of Sn/Ti
= 1:10 showed the highest response to NH3 over other molar
ratios of Sn/Ti as well as pure rGO/CNT and Sn–TiO2 gas sensors. The ammonia-sensing mechanisms of the Sn–TiO2@rGO/CNT gas sensor were proposed based on the formation of
p–n heterojunctions of p-type rGO/CNT and n-type Sn–TiO2 nanoparticles via a low-temperature oxidizing reaction process.