Improved sensing performance of WO3 nanoparticles decorated with Ag and Pt nanoparticles

Gas sensors built with metal oxide semiconductors have attracted tremendous attention due to the growing demand for the detection of inflammable, explosive and toxic gases. Herein, to improve the sensing response, WO3 nanoparticles decorated with Ag and Pt bimetals (Ag and Pt/WO3 NPs) have been developed via combined hydrolysis and hydrothermal strategies. Such sensors prototypes show high response to acetone (R-a/R-g = 250 @ 100 x 10(-6), 140 degrees C), which is 6.1 fold as high as that of the pristine WO3 NPs (R-a/R-g = 41 @ 100 x 10(-6), 140 degrees C). Moreover, the recovery time of Ag and Pt/WO3 NPs was reduced from 138 to 13 s compared with that of the pristine WO3 NPs. The improved acetone sensing performance may be attributed to that the chemical and electronic sensitization of Ag and Pt to WO3 NPs increases adsorbed oxygen species, speeds up the reaction and thus boosts the sensing response. Our strategy that decoration of dual precious metals onto WO3 NPs improves the acetone sensing performance may be applied to the gas sensors of other sensing materials.

Automated summary

Gas sensors utilizing WO3 nanoparticles decorated with Ag and Pt bimetals exhibit enhanced response to acetone, with faster recovery time compared to pristine WO3 nanoparticles. The improved sensing performance is attributed to the chemical and electronic sensitization of Ag and Pt, which increases adsorbed oxygen species and speeds up the reaction process. This strategy may have potential applications for gas sensors using other sensing materials.