Screen printed In2O3-SnO2 nanocomposite: Structural and morphological properties and application for NO2 detection

In this work, we report on the sensing properties of screen-printed In 2 O 3 (Indium Oxide) while adding a moderate quantity of SnO 2 . It was found that the addition of SnO 2 improves the response and decreases the operating temperature of the sensitive element for NO 2 detection. However, a non-controlled amount of SnO 2 leads to opposite result; for this reason in the present investigation we test films with different composition in order to optimize the quantity of SnO 2 to be added. The crystallinity, roughness and morphology of the obtained In 2 O 3 -SnO 2 anocomposite were analyzed using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electronic Microscopy (TEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The atomic composition of the In 2 O 3 -SnO 2 films was determined with the energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX) analysis during TEM observations. The effect of the composition on the cristallinity and morphological properties of the films was analyzed. Finally, the In 2 O 3 -SnO 2 films were tested like sensitive elements for NO 2 detection, wherein the effect of the composition was correlated with the sensor response in NO 2 ambient. It was found that the addition of a moderate quantity of SnO 2 to In 2 O 3 exhibited high sensitivity at rather lower operating temperatures.