Chromium and ruthenium-doped zinc oxide thin films for propane sensing applications

Heberto Gómez-Pozos, José Luis González-Vidal, Gonzalo Alberto Torres, Jorge Rodríguez-Baez, Arturo Maldonado, María de la Luz Olvera, Dwight Roberto Acosta, Maximino Avendaño-Alejo, Luis Castañeda

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

28 Scopus citations

Abstract

Chromium and ruthenium-doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Cr) and (ZnO:Ru) thin solid films were deposited on soda-lime glass substrates by the sol-gel dip-coating method. A 0.6 M solution of zinc acetate dihydrate dissolved in 2-methoxyethanol and monoethanolamine was used as basic solution. Chromium (III) acetylacetonate and Ruthenium (III) trichloride were used as doping sources. The Ru incorporation and its distribution profile into the films were proved by the SIMS technique. The morphology and structure of the films were studied by SEM microscopy and X-ray diffraction measurements, respectively. The SEM images show porous surfaces covered by small grains with different grain size, depending on the doping element, and the immersions number into the doping solutions. The sensing properties of ZnO:Cr and ZnO:Ru films in a propane (C3H8) atmosphere, as a function of the immersions number in the doping solution, have been studied in the present work. The highest sensitivity values were obtained for films doped from five immersions, 5.8 and 900, for ZnO:Cr and ZnO:Ru films, respectively. In order to evidence the catalytic effect of the chromium (Cr) and ruthenium (Ru), the sensing characteristics of undoped ZnO films are reported as well.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3432-3444
Number of pages13
JournalSensors (Switzerland)
Volume13
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2013

Keywords

  • Sol-gel
  • Thin solid films
  • Zinc oxide

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