Novel SnO2 hierarchical nanostructures: Synthesis and their gas sensing properties

In this work, 3D SnO2 with a hierarchical structure, which was built by numerous one-dimensional tetragonal prism nanorods, had been firstly synthesized by a facile one-step hydrothermal route at 200°C in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The cationic surfactant CTAB played a key role in forming the 3D SnO2 hierarchical structure composed of nanorods. In addition, the novel SnO2 hierarchical structure exhibited good gas-sensing properties. The gas sensor showed good selectivity to ethanol gas. Moreover, a linear dependence of the sensitivity on the ethanol concentration was observed, it suggested that the sensor fabricated by SnO2 hierarchical structures is very suitable to detect ethanol with low concentration.