Synthesis and characterization of TiO2 nanomaterials for sensing environmental volatile compounds (VOCs): A review

Owing to their excellent gas adsorption characteristics, titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanomaterials have been widely investigated for the detection of environmental volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In this review, we provide a summary of the recent progress in synthesis and characterization of TiO2 nanomaterials for VOCs sensing. The basic properties of environmental VOCs and their classification, as well as the VOCs sensing principles and advantages of using TiO2 nanomaterials are introduced. Then various synthesis methods are discussed, including sol-gel, hydrothermal, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD) and green methods. Thereafter, summary of recent studies on TiO2-based sensors for detecting different types of VOCs is provided. Finally, we discuss the current challenges and future prospects of using TiO2 nanomaterials as VOCs sensing materials. This review provides valuable insights into the synthesis of TiO2 nanomaterials for VOCs sensing applications, which can guide the design and development of high-performance sensors for environmental monitoring.