A Designed ZnO@ZIF-8 Core-Shell Nanorod Film as a Gas Sensor with Excellent Selectivity for H2 over CO

The development of H-2 gas sensors is important for H-2 production as a fuel. In this work, a ZnO@ZIF-8 core-shell nanorod film is designed and synthesized as a gas sensor through a facile solution deposition process. This film shows an excellent selective response for H-2 over CO. By fine-tuning the reaction conditions, a ZnO@ZIF-8 core-shell structure with a thin, fine-grain, porous ZIF-8 shell is obtained. Owing to the facile H-2 penetration through the ZIF-8 thin shell (approximate to 110 nm) and the increased oxygen vacancies for the complex film, the ZnO@ZIF-8 nanorod film shows a higher H-2 sensitivity than a raw ZnO nanorod film. More importantly, the ZnO@ZIF-8 nanorod film shows no response for CO at 200 degrees C. Because of the fine-grain confinement of the porous ZIF-8 shell (<140 nm), the molecular sieving effect is strengthened, which allows the effective separation of H-2 over CO. This work provides a promising strategy for the design of high-performance H-2 sensors.