Sensing of 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (2-CEES) – a CWA simulant – using pure and platinum doped nanostructured CdSnO3 thin films prepared from ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique

Nanostructured perovskite CdSnO3 and Pt-CdSnO3 thin films were prepared using ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique. The nozzle (driven by ultrasonic frequency of 120 kHz) fixed on microprocessor controlled motorized arm could move in X–Y direction and spray onto heated (300 °C) glass substrate to give the films of repeatable thickness and microstructure. Structural and microstructural properties of the films were studied using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. The sensing performance of the films was tested for CWA simulants, such as, CEES (2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide C4H9ClS), DMMP (dimethyl methyl phosphonate C3H9O3P) and CEPS (2-chloroethyl phenyl sulfide C8H9ClS). Both CdSnO3 and Pt-CdSnO3 showed higher response, better selectivity and faster speed of response to CEES as compared to their responses of DMMP and CEPS. CEES response of Pt-CdSnO3 is larger than the response of CdSnO3. The results are discussed and interpreted.