Evaluation of gas-sensing properties of ZnO nanostructures electrochemically doped with Au nanophases

• Elena Dilonardo,
• Michele Penza,
• Marco Alvisi,
• Cinzia Di Franco,
• Francesco Palmisano,
• Luisa Torsi and
• Nicola Cioffi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 22–31, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.3

• stabilized gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) directly on the surface of nanostructured ZnO powders, previously synthesized through a sol–gel process. The effect of thermal annealing temperatures (300 and 550 °C) on chemical, morphological, and structural properties of pristine and Au-doped ZnO nancomposites (Au

• gas-sensing properties. Keywords: Au-doped ZnO; chemiresistive gas sensor; electrosynthesis; NO2 gas sensor; ZnO nanostructures; Introduction Today the use of low-cost portable gas sensors is essential to detect and to monitor toxic, polluting and combustible gases for the environmental protection

• nanostructures were lower than those of pristine and Au-doped ZnO nanorods, revealing that for NO2 gas-sensing the rod-like structure and the intimate contact between stabilized Au NPs and ZnO nanorods have a significant positive effect on the resistance of sensors and, consequently, their response. Experimental