Nanocrystalline SnO2:F Thin Films for Liquid Petroleum Gas Sensors

This paper reports the improvement in the sensing performance of nanocrystalline SnO2-based liquid petroleum gas (LPG) sensors by doping with fluorine (F). Un-doped and F-doped tin oxide films were prepared on glass substrates by the dip-coating technique using a layer-by-layer deposition cycle (alt...

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Main Author: Sutichai Chaisitsak
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2011-07-01
Series:Sensors
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/11/7/7127/
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author Sutichai Chaisitsak
author_facet Sutichai Chaisitsak
author_sort Sutichai Chaisitsak
collection DOAJ
description This paper reports the improvement in the sensing performance of nanocrystalline SnO2-based liquid petroleum gas (LPG) sensors by doping with fluorine (F). Un-doped and F-doped tin oxide films were prepared on glass substrates by the dip-coating technique using a layer-by-layer deposition cycle (alternating between dip-coating a thin layer followed by a drying in air after each new layer). The results showed that this technique is superior to the conventional technique for both improving the film thickness uniformity and film transparency. The effect of F concentration on the structural, surface morphological and LPG sensing properties of the SnO2 films was investigated. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction pattern measurements showed that the obtained thin films are nanocrystalline SnO2 with nanoscale-textured surfaces. Gas sensing characteristics (sensor response and response/recovery time) of the SnO2:F sensors based on a planar interdigital structure were investigated at different operating temperatures and at different LPG concentrations. The addition of fluorine to SnO2 was found to be advantageous for efficient detection of LPG gases, e.g., F-doped sensors are more stable at a low operating temperature (300 °C) with higher sensor response and faster response/recovery time, compared to un-doped sensor materials. The sensors based on SnO2:F films could detect LPG even at a low level of 25% LEL, showing the possibility of using this transparent material for LPG leak detection.
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spelling doaj.art-0e4b0b20eb8a438085353ec5a2c3c4222022-12-22T03:59:40ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202011-07-011177127714010.3390/s110707127Nanocrystalline SnO2:F Thin Films for Liquid Petroleum Gas SensorsSutichai ChaisitsakThis paper reports the improvement in the sensing performance of nanocrystalline SnO2-based liquid petroleum gas (LPG) sensors by doping with fluorine (F). Un-doped and F-doped tin oxide films were prepared on glass substrates by the dip-coating technique using a layer-by-layer deposition cycle (alternating between dip-coating a thin layer followed by a drying in air after each new layer). The results showed that this technique is superior to the conventional technique for both improving the film thickness uniformity and film transparency. The effect of F concentration on the structural, surface morphological and LPG sensing properties of the SnO2 films was investigated. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction pattern measurements showed that the obtained thin films are nanocrystalline SnO2 with nanoscale-textured surfaces. Gas sensing characteristics (sensor response and response/recovery time) of the SnO2:F sensors based on a planar interdigital structure were investigated at different operating temperatures and at different LPG concentrations. The addition of fluorine to SnO2 was found to be advantageous for efficient detection of LPG gases, e.g., F-doped sensors are more stable at a low operating temperature (300 °C) with higher sensor response and faster response/recovery time, compared to un-doped sensor materials. The sensors based on SnO2:F films could detect LPG even at a low level of 25% LEL, showing the possibility of using this transparent material for LPG leak detection.http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/11/7/7127/F-doped tin oxide filmsdip-coating techniqueliquid petroleum gas (LPG) sensors
spellingShingle Sutichai Chaisitsak
Nanocrystalline SnO2:F Thin Films for Liquid Petroleum Gas Sensors
Sensors
F-doped tin oxide films
dip-coating technique
liquid petroleum gas (LPG) sensors
title Nanocrystalline SnO2:F Thin Films for Liquid Petroleum Gas Sensors
title_full Nanocrystalline SnO2:F Thin Films for Liquid Petroleum Gas Sensors
title_fullStr Nanocrystalline SnO2:F Thin Films for Liquid Petroleum Gas Sensors
title_full_unstemmed Nanocrystalline SnO2:F Thin Films for Liquid Petroleum Gas Sensors
title_short Nanocrystalline SnO2:F Thin Films for Liquid Petroleum Gas Sensors
title_sort nanocrystalline sno2 f thin films for liquid petroleum gas sensors
topic F-doped tin oxide films
dip-coating technique
liquid petroleum gas (LPG) sensors
url http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/11/7/7127/
work_keys_str_mv AT sutichaichaisitsak nanocrystallinesno2fthinfilmsforliquidpetroleumgassensors