Abstract:
A SnCl
2 solution was used to prepare SnO
2-coated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (SnO
2/MWCNTs), and their hydrogen sensing properties at room temperature was studied. SEM and TEM observations indicate that SnO
2 nanoparticles with a size of 5 nm are uniformly coated on the MWCNTs, forming a continuous SnO
2 coating. The SnO
2/MWCNTs are sensitive to 10-4 hydrogen at room temperature. During the sensing measurement at room temperature for 10-3 hydrogen mixed with argon gas, the current change with gas concentration is reversed after the mixed gas is switched to air. This can be ascribed to the reaction between O
2 in air and residual H
2 around the SnO
2/MWCNTs to form adsorbed H
2O and the subsequent desorption of H
2O by substitution adsorption of O
2 in air. The H
2O adsorption may lead to a decrease of the electric resistance of SnO
2/MWCNTs and thus an increase of current measured. The reversal of current implies that the SnO
2/MWCNTs may possess a good sensitivity to humidity at room temperature.