Preparation and characterization of Ag-doped In2O3 nanoparticles gas sensor

Pure and Ag-doped In2O3 nanoparticles are synthesized by the co-precipitation method and are characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Gas sensing properties of the sensors has been investigated towards methanol, ethanol, acetone and LPG at different operating temperatures. It is found that the sensor response magnitude of the 3% Ag-doped In2O3 nanoparticles sensors is higher to 50 ppm of ethanol at 300(circle)C, to acetone at 350(circle)C and to LPG at 400(circle)C. This is mainly attributed to the large number of oxygen vacancies and defects in doped sensors as corroborated by the photoluminescence studies. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.