Chemistry (Feb 2023)

Environmental Applications of Zeolites: Hydrophobic Sn-BEA as a Selective Gas Sensor for Exhaust Fumes

  • Martin Jendrlin,
  • Julien Grand,
  • Louwanda Lakiss,
  • Florent Dubray,
  • Philippe Bazin,
  • Jaafar El Fallah,
  • Svetlana Mintova,
  • Vladimir Zholobenko

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/chemistry5010025
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 5, no. 1
pp. 334 – 347

Abstract

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Environmental monitoring of pollutants, such as NOx and COx, which can be facilitated by a range of gas sensors, is of considerable fundamental and practical importance. This work has been focused on the synthesis and evaluation of zeolite β with tin (Sn-BEA) and dealuminated β (DeAl-BEA) zeolites. The zeolite samples have been extensively investigated by IR, UV-VIS and NMR spectroscopy, XRD, TGA, and N2 adsorption-desorption. The prepared Sn-BEA sample is characterised by the submicron particle size, an almost defect-free structure, and high hydrophobicity. Sensors containing selective microporous layers based on Sn-BEA and DeAl-BEA zeolites have been prepared and extensively tested. Both the Sn-BEA and DeAl-BEA zeolites have been deposited in thin films and evaluated as gas sensors for CO, CO2, NO, and NO2 in the presence of water vapour at room temperature. The Sn-BEA zeolite-based sensor showed high selectivity towards NO2, while the DeAl-BEA is selective towards CO2 and NO2.

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