Methanol and ethanol vapor sensitivity of MWCNT / SnO 2 / Ru nanocomposite structures

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were successfully coated with tin-dioxide (SnO2) nanoparticles using both hydrothermal process and sol-gel technique under different solvent conditions. The obtained MWCNTs/SnO2 nanocomposites had the mass ratio of the components 1:4, 1:8 and 1:50, respectively. The as-prepared nanocomposites were characterized in detail using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) technique. On the base of these materials gas-sensor structures are developed. The high sensitivity to methanol and ethanol vapour as well as i-butane gas at 200C operation temperature have been revealed for the functionalized with Ru nanocomposite thick-film sensor structures having the ratio of the components 1:8 and 1:50. The structures with 1:4 ratio of the components are characterized by the best selectivity towards influence of methanol and ethanol vapor.