Enhanced sensing performance toward alcohols using copper oxide based on exposed crystal facet driven catalytic oxidation

Herein, we have reported the CuO micro-polyhedrons with special exposed crystal facet, showing enhanced gas sensing performance based on improved catalytic activation of oxygen. The as-prepared CuO showed the uniform shapes of polyhedrons with the size of several micrometers and can be facilely controlled by simply adjusting the precipitants and heating steps. Then, the gas sensitive performance of CuO polyhedrons was evaluated toward typical alcohols at a working temperature of 235 degrees C. It showed a good sensitivity of n-butanol among several typical alcohols. Moreover, the response value of CuO-m3 (2.43) is significantly higher than that of CuO-m1 (1.92) and CuO-m2 (1.83), which is directly proportional to the exposure degree of (110) crystal facet of CuO. Analysis of mechanism showed that this crystal facet may have the best adsorption capacity of oxygen, thus more reactive oxygen can be generated via a catalytic oxidation process. Our work offered a kind of cheap oxide with exposed facet toward typical alcohols, which is very potential for the development of related industrial sensors.

Automated summary

This study reported CuO micro-polyhedrons with special exposed crystal facet, showing enhanced gas sensing performance. These CuO polyhedrons displayed good sensitivity towards typical alcohols, with the performance directly proportional to the exposure degree of the crystal facet.