Room temperature sensing of alcohol vapours using novel radially aligned nanorutile titania

Abstract

1D nanostructures of TiO2 have been extensively researched in chemical sensing. The need for deployment of 3D nanostructures such as flower-like and urchin-like morphology for chemical sensing is very essential. This morphology provides distinctive attributes because of the properties afforded by the micrometre and nanometre building blocks within the crystal of the nanomaterial. 3D nanostructure nanorutile titania was fabricated using a facile hydrothermal method. The gas sensing performance showed that the hierarchical morphology, high surface area, high porosity and humidity played a vital role in the sensing of ethanol vapour at room temperature. The radially aligned nanorutile (RANR) TiO2 sensor showed high sensitivity with responses of 86.75% and 38.27% towards ethanol and methanol vapours, respectively. The sensor displayed good sensitivity, reproducibility, rapid response, and recovery times towards alcohol vapours.

Keywords

• Nanorutile
• Relative humidity
• Room temperature and sensitivity