Synthesis and Characterization of the ZnO/SnO2 Heterostructures obtained by Hydrothermal Method: Gas Sensor Applications

• Grant number: 13/09573-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: October 01, 2013
• End date: September 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Elson Longo da Silva
• Grantee: Luís Fernando da Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/07296-2 - CDMF - Center for the Development of Functional Materials, AP.CEPID
• Associated scholarship(s): 15/20124-1 - Nanostructured Semiconductor Oxides: Nonaqueous Synthesis and their Gas Sensing Properties, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

Nowadays, the high agricultural productivity is related to use of the fertilizers, mainly the fertilizer nitrogen which are essentials for large crops, such as corn and rice. The main challenge in this area consists to improve the harnessing of the fertilizers, due the large losses of the nitrogen through volatilization process. This process consists in the oxidation of these sources on the soil which generates the NOx, a gas which contributes to global climate change and ozone depletion. Based on these findings, it is necessary to find efficient ways to detect and quantify NOx gas in the environment. Among the oxide materials which exhibit a good performance as gas sensor, the zinc oxide (ZnO) and tin oxide (SnO2) have been promising. Nevertheless, the electronic effects adverse during the charge separation process, and consequent formal signal (carrier's recombination) reduce the potential of these materials. Recently, the heterostructures combining two metal oxide semiconductors have been investigated as an alternative way to reduce the recombination process. Up to date, there are few studies about the gas sensing properties of the ZnO/SnO2 heterostructures under UV light illumination. Herein, we propose the synthesis of the ZnO and SnO2 nanostructured and ZnO/SnO2 heterostructures using hydrothermal treatment, and their applications as NOx sensor with and without UV light illumination. The ZnO/SnO2 heterostructures will be synthesized by sol-gel method assisted by hydrothermal crystallization, which allows the synthesis of both oxides and its heterostructures. The heterostructures will be prepared using different molar ratio Zn:Sn, besides the conventional characterization methods, we propose an investigation "in-situ" of the electronic structure and the short-order range structure using the X-ray absorption spectroscopy, to evaluate the effect of molar ratio Zn:Sn as well as the exposure to different gases, mainly NOx.

Scientific publications

(13)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DA SILVA, LUIS F.; LOPES, OSMANDO F.; CATTO, ARIADNE C.; AVANSI, JR., WALDIR; BERNARDI, MARIA I. B.; LI, MAXIMO SIU; RIBEIRO, CAUE; LONGO, ELSON. Hierarchical growth of ZnO nanorods over SnO2 seed layer: insights into electronic properties from photocatalytic activity. RSC ADVANCES, v. 6, n. 3, p. 2112-2118, 2016. (12/15170-6, 13/13888-0, 13/09573-3, 13/07296-2)

COLETTA, VITOR C.; MARCOS, FRANCIELLE C. F.; NOGUEIRA, FRANCISCO G. E.; BERNARDI, MARIA I. B.; MICHALOWICZ, ALAIN; GONCALVES, RENATO V.; ASSAF, ELISABETE M.; MASTELARO, VALMOR R.. In situ study of copper reduction in SrTi1-xCuxO3 nanoparticles. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, v. 18, n. 3, p. 2070-2079, JAN 21 2016. (13/09573-3)

LAVINSEKY, ANDERSON B. S.; WELSCH, ANNA-MARIA; KENNEDY, BRENDAN J.; BERNARDI, MARIA I. B.; MASTELARO, VALMOR R.. Order-disorder phenomena and octahedral tilting in SrTi1-xSnxO3 perovskites - A structural and spectroscopic study. Journal of Solid State Chemistry, v. 269, p. 521-531, JAN 2019. (14/50641-5, 13/09573-3)

DA SILVA, LUIS F.; CATTO, ARIADNE C.; AVANSI, JR., WALDIR; CAVALCANTE, LAECIO S.; ANDRES, JUAN; AGUIR, KHALIFA; MASTELARO, VALMOR R.; LONGO, ELSON. A novel ozone gas sensor based on one-dimensional (1D) alpha-Ag2WO4 nanostructures. NANOSCALE, v. 6, n. 8, p. 4058-4062, 2014. (13/07296-2, 13/09573-3)

CATTO, ARIADNE C.; DA SILVA, LUIS F.; RIBEIRO, CAUE; BERNARDINI, SANDRINE; AGUIR, KHALIFA; LONGO, ELSON; MASTELARO, VALMOR. R.. An easy method of preparing ozone gas sensors based on ZnO nanorods. RSC ADVANCES, v. 5, n. 25, p. 19528-19533, 2015. (12/15170-6, 13/07296-2, 13/09573-3)

DA SILVA, LUIS F.; MASTELARO, VALMOR R.; CATTO, ARIADNE C.; ESCANHOELA, JR., CARLOS A.; BERNARDINI, SANDRINE; ZILIO, SERGIO C.; LONGO, ELSON; AGUIR, KHALIFA. Ozone and nitrogen dioxide gas sensor based on a nanostructured SrTi0.85Fe0.15O3 thin film. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, v. 638, p. 374-379, JUL 25 2015. (12/15170-6, 13/12473-0, 13/07296-2, 13/09573-3)

COLMENARES, Y. N.; CORRER, W.; LIMA, B. S.; MASTELARO, V. R.. The effect of morphology on the ozone-gas sensing properties of zinc oxide sputtered films. Thin Solid Films, v. 703, JUN 1 2020. (12/15170-6, 13/07296-2, 15/20124-1, 13/09573-3)

DA SILVA, LUIS F.; LOPES, OSMANDO F.; DE MENDONCA, VAGNER R.; CARVALHO, KELE T. G.; LONGO, ELSON; RIBEIRO, CAUE; MASTELARO, VALMOR R.. An Understanding of the Photocatalytic Properties and Pollutant Degradation Mechanism of SrTiO3 Nanoparticles. Photochemistry and Photobiology, v. 92, n. 3, p. 371-378, MAY-JUN 2016. (13/09573-3, 13/26366-1, 15/12304-0, 13/13888-0, 13/07296-2)

CATTO, ARIADNE C.; DA SILVA, LUIS F.; BERNARDI, MARIA INES B.; BERNARDINI, SANDRINE; AGUIR, KHALIFA; LONGO, ELSON; MASTELARO, VALMOR R.. Local Structure and Surface Properties of CoxZn1-xO Thin Films for Ozone Gas Sensing. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES, v. 8, n. 39, p. 26066-26072, OCT 5 2016. (12/15170-6, 13/07296-2, 13/09573-3)

CATTO, ARIADNE C.; DA SILVA, LUIS F.; BERNARDI, MARIA I. B.; LI, MAXIMO S.; LONGO, ELSON; LISBOA-FILHO, PAULO N.; NASCIMENTO, OTACIRO R.; MASTELARO, VALMOR R.. An investigation into the influence of zinc precursor on the microstructural, photoluminescence, and gas-sensing properties of ZnO nanoparticles. JOURNAL OF NANOPARTICLE RESEARCH, v. 16, n. 12, DEC 2014. (12/15170-6, 11/22098-7, 13/09573-3)

DA SILVA, LUIS F.; CATTO, ARIADNE C.; AVANSI, JR., WALDIR; CAVALCANTE, LAECIO S.; MASTELARO, VALMOR R.; ANDRES, JUAN; AGUIR, KHALIFA; LONGO, ELSON. Acetone gas sensor based on alpha-Ag2WO4 nanorods obtained via a microwave-assisted hydrothermal route. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, v. 683, p. 186-190, OCT 25 2016. (12/15170-6, 13/07296-2, 13/09573-3)

DA SILVA, LUIS F.; M'PEKO, J. -C.; CATTO, ARIADNE C.; BERNARDINI, SANDRINE; MASTELARO, VALMOR R.; AGUIR, KHALIFA; RIBEIRO, CAUE; LONGO, ELSON. UV-enhanced ozone gas sensing response of ZnO-SnO2 heterojunctions at room temperature. SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL, v. 240, p. 573-579, MAR 2017. (12/15170-6, 13/07296-2, 15/20124-1, 13/09573-3)

DA SILVA, LUIS F.; M'PEKO, JEAN-CLAUDE; ANDRES, JUAN; BELTRAN, ARMANDO; GRACIA, LOURDES; BERNARDI, MARIA I. B.; MESQUITA, ALEXANDRE; ANTONELLI, EDUARDO; MOREIRA, MARIO L.; MASTELARO, VALMOR R.. Insight into the Effects of Fe Addition on the Local Structure and Electronic Properties of SrTiO3. Journal of Physical Chemistry C, v. 118, n. 9, p. 4930-4940, MAR 6 2014. (13/09573-3)