Preparation and gas sensing properties of hierarchical flower-like In2O3 microspheres

In this work, flower-like In2O3 hierarchical microspheres were successfully synthesized by a facile hydrothermal then sinter process with the help of surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfonate. The assynthesized samples were characterized using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The results revealed that In2O3 microspheres are built from nanosheets. These sheets, analogous to a chrysanthemum, are aligned to the spherical surface, pointing toward a common center. The sensing performance of the as-obtained In2O3 for NO2 was evaluated at 150 degrees C. The results revealed that the novel In2O3 exhibited good gas-sensing properties, indicating its practical potential for detecting NO2 of ppb levels. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.