Hydrogen sensor based on Sm-doped SnO2 nanostructures

Abstract

In this paper the effect of samarium doping on the structural and hydrogen gas sensing properties of SnO2 nanoparticles has been reported. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) results revealed tetragonal rutile structure of both undoped and Sm-doped SnO2 nanoparticles. It has been observed that doping with samarium led to reduction in crystallite size of SnO2 nanoparticles which was confirmed from XRD analysis. Shifting and broadening of Raman peaks in case of doped nanoparticles has been explained by well-known phonon confinement model. The optimum operable temperature of both the sensors was found to 400 °C and the sensor response towards hydrogen gas has been improved after doping with samarium which was attributed to increase in sensing sites for the gas adsorption.