TY - JOUR A1 - Dilonardo, Elena A1 - Penza, Michele A1 - Alvisi, Marco A1 - Di Franco, Cinzia A1 - Palmisano, Francesco A1 - Torsi, Luisa A1 - Cioffi, Nicola T1 - Evaluation of gas-sensing properties of ZnO nanostructures electrochemically doped with Au nanophases JF - Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology PY - 2016/// VL - 7 SP - 22 EP - 31 SN - 2190-4286 DO - 10.3762/bjnano.7.3 PB - Beilstein-Institut JA - Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. UR - https://doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.7.3 KW - Au-doped ZnO KW - chemiresistive gas sensor KW - electrosynthesis KW - NO2 gas sensor KW - ZnO nanostructures N2 - A one-step electrochemical method based on sacrificial anode electrolysis (SAE) was used to deposit 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@ZnO) was investigated. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM and SEM), as well as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), revealed the successful deposition of nanoscale gold on the surface of spherical and rod-like ZnO nanostructures, obtained after annealing at 300 and 550 °C, respectively. The pristine ZnO and Au@ZnO nanocomposites are proposed as active layer in chemiresistive gas sensors for low-cost processing. Gas-sensing measurements towards NO2 were collected at 300 °C, evaluating not only the Au-doping effect, but also the influence of the different ZnO nanostructures on the gas-sensing properties. ER -