Controllable synthesis of prism- and lamella-like ZnO and their gas sensing

Abstract The prism-like ZnO (PLZ) and lamella-like ZnO (LLZ) were synthesized by a hydrothermal route and the gas-sensing properties were also investigated. The morphology and structure of samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The as-synthesized PLZ is hexagonal prism in shape and LLZ consists of irregular fragment. The PLZ-based sensor exhibits high response and high selectivity to 1 ppm triethylamine at 100 °C, while LLZ-based sensor has high response to 1 ppm acetaldehyde gas. The shape-controlled ZnO is proved to be an effective material for detecting selectively the low-concentration of different volatile gases at low temperature.