Surface microstructure-controlled ZrO_(2) for highly sensitive room-temperature NO2 sensors

The high sensitivity of room-temperature gas sensors is the key to innovation in the areas of environment,energy conservation and safety.However,metal-oxide-based sensors generally operate at high temperatures.Herein,we designed three ZrO_(2)-based sensors and explored their NO_(2)sensing properties at room temperature.ZrO_(2)with three different morphologies and microstructure were synthesized by simple hydrothermal methods.The microstructures of sensing materials are expected to significantly affect gas sensing properties.The rod-shaped ZrO_(2)(ZrO_(2)-R)displayed the advantages such as higher crystallinity,larger pore size,narrower band gap and more chemisorbed adsorbed oxygen,compared to hollow sphere-shaped ZrO_(2)(ZrO_(2)-HS),stellate-shaped ZrO_(2)(ZrO_(2)–S).The ZrO_(2)-R sensor showed the highest response towards 30 ppm NO_(2)(423.8%)at room temperature,and a quite high sensitivity of 198.0%for detecting 5 ppm NO_(2).Although ZrO_(2)-HS and ZrO_(2)–S sensors exhibited lower response towards 30 ppm NO_(2)(232.9%and 245.1%),the response time and recovery time of these two sensors are 5 s/19 s and 4 s/3 s,respectively.This work can provide a new strategy for the development of roomtemperature metal-oxide-based sensors.