Bifunctional Sensing Mechanism of SnO2–ZnO Composite Nanofibers for Drastically Enhancing the Sensing Behavior in H2 Gas

Abstract

SnO2-ZnO composite nanofibers fabricated using an electrospinning method exhibited exceptional hydrogen (H2) sensing behavior. The existence of tetragonal SnO2 and hexagonal ZnO nanograins was confirmed by an analysis of the crystalline phase of the composite nanofibers. A bifunctional sensing mechanism of the composite nanofibers was proposed in which the combined effects of SnO2-SnO2 homointerfaces and ZnO-SnO2 heterointerfaces contributed to an improvement in the H2 sensing characteristics. The sensing process with respect to SnO2-ZnO heterojunctions is associated not only with the high barrier at the junctions, but also the semiconductor-to-metallic transition on the surface of the ZnO nanograins upon the introduction of H2 gas.