Preparation and Characterization of BCN Nanotubes and their Sensitivity to NOx at Room Temperature

Novel BCN nanotubes (BCN NTs) for NOx gas sensor have been synthesized by the CVD method at room temperature. The BCN NTs have been investigated with XPS and TEM. The diameter of the BCN NTs is in the range of 20-50 nm and the tubes exhibit bamboolike structure. By using NOx as a probe molecule, the BCN NTs exhibit excellent sensing performance in terms of high response, fast response and good stability at room temperature. The outstanding performance in gas sensing of BCN NTs owes to their one-dimensional nanostructures, more defects and active sites doping carbon nanotubes with B, N. The possible gas sensing mechanism of the BCN NTs is explained by a model in which the effect of NOx adsorption on BCN nanotubes and the electronic transport properties increase after doping carbon nanotubes with B, N.