Solution-processed nickel oxide films and their liquefied petroleum gas sensing activity

Present article demonstrates the facial synthesis of nickel oxide (NiO) films via an easy and cost-effective successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method onto glass substrate using nickel (II) chloride as precursor and their gas sensing activity towards different target gases. Structural elucidation and elemental composition analysis measurements were conducted using X-ray diffraction, Raman and energy dispersive X-ray techniques, respectively. Platelet-type morphology was confirmed from the plane-view images recorded on field-emission scanning electron and transmission electron microscopes at different magnifications. Chemo-resistive performance of NiO films was carried out towards hazardous and explosive gases such as ammonia, methanol, ethanol, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and nitrogen dioxide as a function of working temperature and gas concentration. Amongst diverse gases, NiO sensor film exhibits better response of 72% to 5000 ppm LPG at lower operating temperature (180 degrees C). Effect of LPG concentration on gas response of the NiO film was systematically investigated and explored. Also, the synergistic interaction between LPG molecules and NiO nanoplates was studied and explored using potential barrier model. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.