Highly sensitive gas sensor based on Er-doped SnO2 nanostructures and its temperature dependent selectivity towards hydrogen and ethanol

In the present work, impact of Er3+ doping on the response and selectivity of SnO2 based gas sensor has been investigated in detail. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results confirmed formation of a tetragonal rutile structure of undoped and erbium doped SnO2 nanoparticles. It has been observed that specific surface area of nanoparticles has increased with increase in dopant concentration. The oxidation states and presence of erbium in SnO2 lattice has been confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Photoluminescence (PL) analysis revealed that concentration of oxygen vacancies increases with increase in dopant incorporation. It has been observed that 3% Er-doped SnO2 sensor exhibited enhanced sensor response and temperature dependent selectivity towards ethanol and hydrogen at 240 and 360 ℃ respectively. The enhanced sensor response of the fabricated sensor has been ascribed to large surface area, enormous oxygen vacancies and elevated surface basicity of doped nanoparticles used. The tunable dual selectivity of 3% doped sensor towards ethanol and hydrogen makes it a perfect candidate for ethanol-hydrogen sensing for ethanol steam reforming systems combined to fuel cells.