H2S sensing performance of electrospun CuO-loaded SnO2 nanofibers

We report the synthesis of CuO-loaded SnO2 nanofibers via electrospinning as well as their H2S sensing properties in a comparative manner with unloaded, pure SnO2 nanofibers. Greatly enhanced H2S sensing capability was observed by loading a trace amount of CuO into SnO2 nanofibers. At 10 ppm H2S, the CuO-loaded SnO2 nanofibers showed a response of 1.98 × 104 and response and recovery times of 1 and 10 s, respectively. In addition, the CuO-loaded SnO2 nanofibers showed outstanding selectivity to H2S. Along with the unique sensing mechanism based on the creation and disruption of p–n junctions, the high specific surface area provided by the one-dimensional nanofiber shape and the facilitation of p–n junctions due to the presence of nanograins are responsible for the outstanding H2S sensing capability observed in the CuO-loaded SnO2 nanofibers.