Preparation and gas sensing properties of ZnO hollow microspheres

In this study, zinc oxide hollow microspheres were successfully prepared by a facile one-pot hydrothermal route with the assistance of glucose only using cheap Zn(NO3)3·6H2O as starting materials, followed by a simple calcination treatment. The zinc oxide hollow microspheres were characterized via scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The prepared zinc oxide hollow microspheres were further employed to fabricate a gas sensor to detect volatile organic pollutants. The gas sensing measurement results revealed that the zinc oxide hollow microsphere sensor showed excellent sensing performances to ppm levels of probe gas ethanol vapor including high response, short response–recovery times and good reversibility. The sensor also showed high response to other ppm levels of volatile organic pollutants such as n-butanol, acetone, methanol, toluene and benzene, implying its promising gas sensor application in detecting volatile organic pollutants. Zinc oxide hollow microspheres, prepared by a facile one-pot hydrothermal route, based gas sensor showed excellent sensing performances to ppm levels of volatile organic pollutants including high response, short response–recovery times and good reversibility.