Biotemplate synthesis of In2O3-Pd for room temperature sensor of hydrogen
Abstract
Objective: The solution to the urgent task of creating compact gas analyzers capable of long-term autonomous operation in hard-to-reach places is related to the development of sensors with reduced energy consumption. The aim of this work was to create a room temperature hydrogen sensor, as it is the sensor’s heating that contributes significantly to the energy consumption of the entire device.
Experimental: To solve this problem, a new method for the synthesis of a nanomaterial based on In2O3 with a 3 % palladium additive was developed, which differs significantly from the common methods of sol-gel synthesis and hydrothermal synthesis. This was due to the fact that at low sensor temperatures, minimizing the effect of humidity is crucial. Performing the synthesis in an aqueous environment leads to the formation of a large number of hydroxyl groups on the surface, which attract water. In our work, the nanomaterial was prepared by sintering a cellulose fiber pre-impregnated with a solution of indium nitrate (+3) and tetraammine palladium nitrate (+2). According to X-ray phase analysis, the powder sintered at a
temperature of 500 °C consists mainly of the triclinic phase of indium oxide (+3). According to scanning electron microscopy, the samples largely retained the reproducible characteristic macrostructure of the cellulose template. The electrophysical characteristics of the nanomaterial obtained at room temperature showed the possibility of determining hydrogen in the air. The detection limit is less than 10 ppm.
Conclusions: The sensitivity of our hydrogen sensor at room temperature is higher than that of sensors described in other publications. The effect of humidity on sensor readings is minimized.
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References
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