Catalytically Doped Semiconductors for Chemical Gas Sensing: Aerogel-Like Aluminum-Containing Zinc Oxide Materials Prepared in the Gas Phase

Atmospheric contamination with organic compounds is undesired in industry and in society because of odor nuisance or potential toxicity. Resistive gas sensors made of semiconducting metal oxides are effective in the detection of gases even at low concentration. Major drawbacks are low selectivity and missing sensitivity toward a targeted compound. Acetaldehyde is selected due to its high relevance in chemical industry and its toxic character. Considering the similarity between gas-sensing and heterogeneous catalysis (surface reactions, activity, selectivity), it is tempting to transfer concepts. A question of importance is how doping and the resulting change in electronic properties of a metal-oxide support with semiconducting properties alters reactivity of the surfaces and the functionality in gas-sensing and in heterogeneous catalysis. A gas-phase synthesis method is employed for aerogel-like zinc oxide materials with a defined content of aluminum (n-doping), which were then used for the assembly of gas sensors. It is shown that only Al-doped ZnO represents an effective sensor material that is sensitive down to very low concentrations (<350 ppb). The advance in properties relates to a catalytic effect for the doped semiconductor nanomaterial.