Chemoresistive gas-sensitive ZnO/Pt nanocomposites films applied by microplotter printing with increased sensitivity to benzene and hydrogen

Abstract ZnO/xPt nanopowders (x = 0, 0.5, 1, 3 mol%) were synthesised using the solvothermal method. The nanocomposites produced were characterised using a set of physiochemical analysis methods (XRD, BET, SEM, TEM and AFM). Synthesised ZnO/Pt powders were used to prepare special ink used for microplotter printing of gas-sensing receptor layers. The chemoresistive gas-sensing properties of CO, NH3, H2, C6H6, and NO2 were studied in depth in relation to the production of ZnO/xPt films. It was shown that, with an increase in platinum content, there was a significant decrease in the response to NO2 and CO, as well as an increase in the response to benzene and hydrogen. The mechanism of gas detection, including electronic and chemical sensing, was considered, kinetic properties were determined and response dependences on the content of hydrogen and benzene were established. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to evaluate the correlation between the response of four used receptor nanomaterials and selectivity.