Study on photoelectric gas-sensing property and photogenerated carrier behavior of Ag–ZnO at the room temperature

Ag–ZnO nanorods with enhancement in UV light photoelectric gas-sensing response properties were synthesized by a facile two-step process and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution electron microscope (HRTEM) and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–vis DRS). The results revealed that Ag nanoparticles have decorated the surface of ZnO nanorods successfully. Formaldehyde (HCHO) sensing properties of sensors based on the Ag–ZnO nanorods were also investigated under 370 nm light irradiation at room temperature with the assistance of surface photocurrent technique. It was found that the as-prepared Ag–ZnO nanorods showed excellent gas-sensing property that the gas response to 5 and 40 ppm formaldehyde can reach to 9.4% and 119.8% under 370 nm light irradiation at room temperature, respectively. To better understand the reason for the enhanced gas-sensing properties of Ag–ZnO, the separation and transfer behavior of the photogenerated charges were characterized by means of surface photovoltage and phase spectra. The results indicated that an electronic interaction between Ag and ZnO formed. Ag, as electron acceptor, effectively promoted the charge separation and transfer ability and, at the same time, inhibited the recombination of photogenerated charge carriers in ZnO, thus the Ag–ZnO nanorods had a high gas-sensing response to HCHO at room temperature.