Highly sensitive and selective electronic sensor based on Co catalyzed SnO2 nanospheres for acetone detection

Efficient electronic sensors for detection of volatile organic compounds are increasingly in great demand due to its indispensable utilization in healthcare and environment monitoring systems. Assembly of complex nanostructures from diverse host and guest materials proves to be an effective way to create new sensing materials with improved performances. Yet it still remains a challenge to manipulate efficient heterostructures for acetone detection to acquire high sensitivity and selectivity. Herein, a high performance nanosensor is realized based on p-type Co3O4 sensitized n-type SnO2 porous nanospheres. The rich grain boundaries between adjacent SnO2 nanoparticles serve as the active sites for molecules adsorption and electron transportation. The p-n heterointerface formed between Co3O4 and SnO2 allows for the fast sensing reactions on materials surface. Consequently, the sensor device delivers outstanding properties in terms of fast response-recovery, low detection limit (103 ppb), high sensitivity and excellent selectivity toward acetone detection. The strategy presented here is generally applicable and can provide some hints to design efficient electronic sensors with an optimized selectivity.