Smooth-surface octahedral Zn2SnO4 sensitized by carbon quantum dot for enhanced triethylamine detection

In this study, the combination of octahedral Zn2SnO4 with the carbon quantum dots (CQDs) is pioneered for the efficient detection of triethylamine. CQDs-modified Zn2SnO4 materials were synthesized to perform rapid detection of trace triethylamine present in air. In the gas test, the optimal composite's response value to triethylamine is 600% higher than the value of the original Zn2SnO4 to triethylamine, and the tendency of selective to triethylamine is more than ten times than other kinds of gases and possesses a short response/recovery times of 18 s/29 s. The exceptional properties of the composite are attributed to the superb electron transport capacity brought by the modification of 5 nm carbon quantum dots. The novel material will solve the issues of slow reaction time and low response of previous materials in detecting triethylamine.