Optical Sensing of Molecular Oxygen (O<sub>2</sub>) via Metal Oxide Photoluminescence: A Comparative Study of TiO<sub>2</sub>, SnO<sub>2</sub> and ZnO
A comparative study is presented on the photoluminescence (PL) response toward molecular oxygen (O<sub>2</sub>) in tin dioxide (SnO<sub>2</sub>), zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO<sub>2</sub>) nanoparticles. The findings show that both PL enhancement and...
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MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Chemosensors |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9040/9/7/163 |
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| author | Ambra Fioravanti Pietro Marani Sara Morandi Laura Giordano Pasqualino Maddalena Maria Cristina Carotta Stefano Lettieri |
| author_facet | Ambra Fioravanti Pietro Marani Sara Morandi Laura Giordano Pasqualino Maddalena Maria Cristina Carotta Stefano Lettieri |
| author_sort | Ambra Fioravanti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A comparative study is presented on the photoluminescence (PL) response toward molecular oxygen (O<sub>2</sub>) in tin dioxide (SnO<sub>2</sub>), zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO<sub>2</sub>) nanoparticles. The findings show that both PL enhancement and PL quenching can be observed on different materials, arguably depending on the spatial localization of the defects responsible for the PL emission in each different oxide. No significant results are evidenced for SnO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles. ZnO with red/orange emission shown an O<sub>2</sub>-induced PL enhancement, suggesting that the radiative emission involves holes trapped in surface vacancy oxygen centers. While the ZnO results are scientifically interesting, its performances are inferior to the ones shown by TiO<sub>2</sub>, which exhibits the most interesting response in terms of sensitivity and versatility of the response. In particular, O<sub>2</sub> concentrations in the range of few percent and in the range of a few tenths of a part per million are both detectable through the same mixed-phase TiO<sub>2</sub> sample, whose rutile phase gives a reversible and fast response to larger (0.4–2%) O<sub>2</sub> concentration while its anatase phase is usable for detection in the 25–75 ppm range. The data for rutile TiO<sub>2</sub> suggest that its surfaces host deeply trapped electrons at large densities, allowing good sensitivities and, more notably, a relatively unsaturated response at large concentrations. Future work is expected to improve the understanding and modeling of the photophysical framework that lies behind the observations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:59:31Z |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9040 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:59:31Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Chemosensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-3fe5e12544e54406889a9179791ef35a2023-11-22T02:02:16ZengMDPI AGChemosensors2227-90402021-06-019716310.3390/chemosensors9070163Optical Sensing of Molecular Oxygen (O<sub>2</sub>) via Metal Oxide Photoluminescence: A Comparative Study of TiO<sub>2</sub>, SnO<sub>2</sub> and ZnOAmbra Fioravanti0Pietro Marani1Sara Morandi2Laura Giordano3Pasqualino Maddalena4Maria Cristina Carotta5Stefano Lettieri6Institute of Sciences and Technologies for Sustainable Energy and Mobility, National Research Council (STEMS-CNR), Via Canal Bianco 28, 44124 Ferrara, ItalyInstitute of Sciences and Technologies for Sustainable Energy and Mobility, National Research Council (STEMS-CNR), Via Canal Bianco 28, 44124 Ferrara, ItalyDepartment of Chemistry, University of Torino, Via P. Giuria 7, 10125 Turin, ItalyInstitute of Marine Sciences, National Research Council (ISMAR-CNR), Calata Porta di Massa, 80133 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Physics, Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, Via Cupa Cintia 21, 80126 Naples, ItalyInstitute of Sciences and Technologies for Sustainable Energy and Mobility, National Research Council (STEMS-CNR), Via Canal Bianco 28, 44124 Ferrara, ItalyInstitute for Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems “E. Caianiello”, National Research Council (ISASI-CNR), Via Cupa Cintia 21, 80126 Naples, ItalyA comparative study is presented on the photoluminescence (PL) response toward molecular oxygen (O<sub>2</sub>) in tin dioxide (SnO<sub>2</sub>), zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO<sub>2</sub>) nanoparticles. The findings show that both PL enhancement and PL quenching can be observed on different materials, arguably depending on the spatial localization of the defects responsible for the PL emission in each different oxide. No significant results are evidenced for SnO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles. ZnO with red/orange emission shown an O<sub>2</sub>-induced PL enhancement, suggesting that the radiative emission involves holes trapped in surface vacancy oxygen centers. While the ZnO results are scientifically interesting, its performances are inferior to the ones shown by TiO<sub>2</sub>, which exhibits the most interesting response in terms of sensitivity and versatility of the response. In particular, O<sub>2</sub> concentrations in the range of few percent and in the range of a few tenths of a part per million are both detectable through the same mixed-phase TiO<sub>2</sub> sample, whose rutile phase gives a reversible and fast response to larger (0.4–2%) O<sub>2</sub> concentration while its anatase phase is usable for detection in the 25–75 ppm range. The data for rutile TiO<sub>2</sub> suggest that its surfaces host deeply trapped electrons at large densities, allowing good sensitivities and, more notably, a relatively unsaturated response at large concentrations. Future work is expected to improve the understanding and modeling of the photophysical framework that lies behind the observations.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9040/9/7/163titanium dioxidezinc oxidetin dioxidephotoluminescenceoptical sensorsoxygen sensors |
| spellingShingle | Ambra Fioravanti Pietro Marani Sara Morandi Laura Giordano Pasqualino Maddalena Maria Cristina Carotta Stefano Lettieri Optical Sensing of Molecular Oxygen (O<sub>2</sub>) via Metal Oxide Photoluminescence: A Comparative Study of TiO<sub>2</sub>, SnO<sub>2</sub> and ZnO Chemosensors titanium dioxide zinc oxide tin dioxide photoluminescence optical sensors oxygen sensors |
| title | Optical Sensing of Molecular Oxygen (O<sub>2</sub>) via Metal Oxide Photoluminescence: A Comparative Study of TiO<sub>2</sub>, SnO<sub>2</sub> and ZnO |
| title_full | Optical Sensing of Molecular Oxygen (O<sub>2</sub>) via Metal Oxide Photoluminescence: A Comparative Study of TiO<sub>2</sub>, SnO<sub>2</sub> and ZnO |
| title_fullStr | Optical Sensing of Molecular Oxygen (O<sub>2</sub>) via Metal Oxide Photoluminescence: A Comparative Study of TiO<sub>2</sub>, SnO<sub>2</sub> and ZnO |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optical Sensing of Molecular Oxygen (O<sub>2</sub>) via Metal Oxide Photoluminescence: A Comparative Study of TiO<sub>2</sub>, SnO<sub>2</sub> and ZnO |
| title_short | Optical Sensing of Molecular Oxygen (O<sub>2</sub>) via Metal Oxide Photoluminescence: A Comparative Study of TiO<sub>2</sub>, SnO<sub>2</sub> and ZnO |
| title_sort | optical sensing of molecular oxygen o sub 2 sub via metal oxide photoluminescence a comparative study of tio sub 2 sub sno sub 2 sub and zno |
| topic | titanium dioxide zinc oxide tin dioxide photoluminescence optical sensors oxygen sensors |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9040/9/7/163 |
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