We investigated the NO gas sensing characteristics of ZnO-carbon nanotube (ZnO-CNT) layered composites fabricated by coaxial coating of single-walled CNTs with a thin layer of 1 wt% Al-doped ZnO using rf magnetron sputtering deposition. Morphological studies clearly revealed that the ZnO appeared to form beadshaped crystalline nanoparticles with an average diameter as small as 30 nm, attaching to the surface of the nanotubes. It was found that the NO gas sensing properties of the ZnO-CNT layered composites were dramatically improved over Al-doped ZnO thin films. It is reasoned from these observations that an increase in the surface-to-volume ratio associated with the numerous ZnO “nanobeads” on the surface of the CNTs results in the enhancement of the NO gas sensing properties. The ZnO-CNT layered composite sensors exhibited a maximum sensitivity of 13.7 to 2 ppm NO gas at a temperature of 200˚C and a low NO gas detection limit of 0.2 ppm in dry air.

We investigated the effects of Co doping on the NO gas sensing characteristics of ZnO-carbon nanotube (ZnO-CNT) layered composites fabricated by coaxial coating of single-walled CNTs with ZnO using pulsed laser deposition. Structural examinations clearly confirmed a distinct nanostructure of the CNTs coated with ZnO nanoparticles of an average diameter as small as 10 nm and showed little influence of doping 1 at.% Co into ZnO on the morphology of the ZnO-CNT composites. It was found from the gas sensing measurements that 1 at.% Co doping into ZnO gave rise to a significant improvement in the response of the ZnO-CNT composite sensor to NO gas exposure. In particular, the Co-doped ZnO-CNT composite sensor shows a highly sensitive and fast response to NO gas at relatively low temperatures and even at low NO concentrations. The observed significant improvement of the NO gas sensing properties is attributed to an increase in the specific surface area and the role as a catalyst of the doped Co elements. These results suggest that Co-doped ZnOCNT composites are suitable for use as practical high-performance NO gas sensors.

ZnO wire-like thin films were synthesized through thermal oxidation of sputtered Zn metal films in dry air. Their nanostructure was confirmed by SEM, revealing a wire-like structure with a width of less than 100 nm and a length of several microns. The gas sensors using ZnO wire-like films were found to exhibit excellent H2 gas sensing properties. In particular, the observed high sensitivity and fast response to H2 gas at a comparatively low temperature of 200˚C would lead to a reduction in the optimal operating temperature of ZnO-based H2 gas sensors. These features, together with the simple synthesis process, demonstrate that ZnO wire-like films are promising for fabrication of low-cost and high-performance H2 gas sensors operable at low temperatures. The relationship between the sensor sensitivity and H2 gas concentration suggests that the adsorbed oxygen species at the surface is O-.

The NO gas sensing properties of ZnO-carbon nanotube (ZnO-CNT) composites fabricated by the coaxial coating of single-walled CNTs with ZnO were investigated using pulsed laser deposition. Upon examination, the morphology and crystallinity of the ZnO-CNT composites showed that CNTs were uniformly coated with polycrystalline ZnO with a grain size as small as 5-10 nm. Gas sensing measurements clearly indicated a remarkable enhancement of the sensitivity of ZnO-CNT composites for NO gas compared to that of ZnO films while maintaining the strong sensing stability of the composites, properties that CNT-based sensing materials do not have. The enhanced gas sensing properties of the ZnO-CNT composites are attributed to an increase in the surface adsorption area of the ZnO layer via the coating by CNTs of a high surface-to-volume ratio structure. These results suggest that the ZnO-CNT composite is a promising template for novel solid-state semiconducting gas sensors.