Enhanced Acetone-Sensing Performance of Au/ZnO Hybrids Synthesized Using a Solution Combustion Method

ZnO semiconductor hybrids with high response and selectivity to various gases have received enormous attention for practical applications. In this work, Au/ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized via a facile solution combustion method, using chlorauric acid and zinc nitrate as the raw materials. X-ray diffraction and field-emission scanning microscopy revealed that the Au/ZnO nanoparticles, with diameters of 50 - 300 urn, were mainly composed of the ZnO -wurtzite phase and Au metal phase with a face-centered structure. The gas-sensing results indicated that the Au (4 at. %)/ZnO-based sensor exhibited the highest response and selectivity among all the as-obtained Au/ZnO products; moreover, its response to acetone was approximately 3 times greater than that of the pure ZnO, and the response (173) of the sensor to acetone was 2.4, 9.8, 17, and 22 times higher than that to C2H5OH, H-2, CO, and CH4 at 300 degrees C, respectively.