Metal Chelation Assisted In Situ Migration and Functionalization of Catalysts on Peapod-Like Hollow SnO2 toward a Superior Chemical Sensor

Abstract

Rational design of nanostructures and efficient catalyst functionalization methods are critical to the realization of highly sensitive gas sensors. In order to solve these issues, two types of strategies are reported, i.e., (i) synthesis of peapod-like hollow SnO2 nanostructures (hollow 0D-1D SnO2) by using fluid dynamics of liquid Sn metal and (ii) metal-protein chelate driven uniform catalyst functionalization. The hollow 0D-1D SnO2 nanostructures have advantages in enhanced gas accessibility and higher surface areas. In addition to structural benefits, protein encapsulated catalytic nanoparticles result in the uniform catalyst functionalization on both hollow SnO2 spheres and SnO2 nanotubes due to their dynamic migration properties. The migration of catalysts with liquid Sn metal is induced by selective location of catalysts around Sn. On the basis of these structural and uniform functionalization of catalyst benefits, biomarker chemical sensors are developed, which deliver highly selective detection capability toward acetone and toluene, respectively. Pt or Pd loaded multidimensional SnO2 nanostructures exhibit outstanding acetone (R-air/R-gas = 93.55 @ 350 degrees C, 5 ppm) and toluene (R-air/R-gas = 9.25 @ 350 degrees C, 5 ppm) sensing properties, respectively. These results demonstrate that unique nanostructuring and novel catalyst loading method enable sensors to selectively detect biomarkers for exhaled breath sensors.