Acetone sensing properties of the g-C3N4-CuO nanocomposites prepared by hydrothermal method

Abstract A hydrothermal method was utilized to synthesize pure CuO and g-C3N4-CuO nanocomposites for detecting different volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The morphology and chemical composition of the g-C3N4-CuO composites were characterized by different techniques such as XRD, SEM, TEM, EDS, TG–DSC, XPS, FTIR and N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, respectively. By exposing the sensor of 4 wt % g-C3N4-CuO (S-3) nanocomposite into different VOCs, the better gas sensing response and the gas sensing selectivity to acetone were identified, the responses of S-3 nanocomposite based sensor were 143.7 and 0.01 to 1000 ppm and 0.01 ppm acetone, respectively; imperatively, the selectivity ratio of S 1000 ppm acetone/S 1000 ppm ammonia was 14.37, the response/recovery times were (17/24 s) for optimum concentration (1000 ppm) of acetone. Comparing with pure CuO nanoparticles, the specific surface area of nanocomposite was increased by the decoration of CuO nanoparticles onto g-C3N4 sheet.