ZnO nanosheets/graphene oxide nanocomposites for highly effective acetone vapor detection

ZnO nanosheets/graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposites were synthesized for highly selective, quick response acetone detection. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the morphologies, microstructures and compositions of the nanocomposites. The effect of GO on the sensing performances of the nanocomposites was investigated. It was found that 10 wt% GO was the optimized loading and the response value reached 35.8 under the exposure of 100 ppm acetone. The unique sensing properties were attributed to the synergistic effects of rigid ZnO nanosheets and flexible GO, including large specific surface area, rich functional groups of GO etc. This work will contribute to the development of new acetone sensors and broaden the application of GO composite materials. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.