MoS2 nanosheets-decorated SnO2 nanofibers for enhanced SO2 gas sensing performance and classification of CO, NH3 and H2 gases

Abstract

The effect of MoS2 nanosheet (NS) decoration on the gas-sensing properties of SnO2 nanofibers (NFs) was investigated. The decorated sensors were fabricated by facile on-chip electrospinning technique and subsequently dropping MoS2 NSs-dispersed solution. The MoS2 NS decoration resulted in enhanced the response and reduced the operating temperature of SnO2 NFs towards SO2 gas. The SnO2 NF sensor decorated with the optimum density of MoS2 NSs exhibited about 10-fold enhancement in gas response to 10 ppm SO2 at 150 °C as compared with the bare SnO2 NF sensor. Furthermore, the decorated sensors exhibited an extremely low detection limit and good selectivity for SO2 gas against other interfering gases, such as CO, NH3, and H2. The enhanced SO2 gas-sensing performance of MoS2 NSs-decorated SnO2 NFs was attributed to the chemical sensitization of MoS2 NSs and charge transfer through heterojunctions between the NSs and SnO2 nanograins. The classification of toxic gases such as CO, H2, and NH3 by the MoS2 NSs-decorated SnO2 NF sensors can achieve high accuracy with linear discriminant analysis (LDA). Our results suggest that the one-dimensional nanostructures of semiconductor metal oxides decorated with two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides are attractive candidates for the detection of hazardous gases.