P2.7.13 Versatile Synthesis and Nanopatterning of In2O3 Nanostructures for Hydrogen Sensor Applications
- Event
- 14th International Meeting on Chemical Sensors - IMCS 2012
2012-05-20 - 2012-05-23
Nürnberg/Nuremberg, Germany - Chapter
- P2.7 Nanostructured Metal Oxide-based Sensors
- Author(s)
- A. Qurashi - Center of Research Excellence in Nanotechnology and Chemistry Department, King FahdUniversity of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran (Saudi Arabia)
- Pages
- 1637 - 1639
- DOI
- 10.5162/IMCS2012/P2.7.13
- ISBN
- 978-3-9813484-2-2
- Price
- free
Abstract
A complex synthesis of In2O3 nanostructures with well-defined shapes are of special interest to understand basic size-dependent scaling laws and may be useful in a wide range of application fields, including photonics, nanoelectronics, information storage gas sensors, chemical and biosensors and catalysis. In this work we report controlled growth of In2O3 nanostructures by simple chemical vapor deposition and thermal evaporation methods. The fabrication of large-scale In2O3 nanowires, nanopencils, nanoneedles, nanocolumns, nanosyringes, hierarchical structures, nanopushpins, nanopyramids, octahedrons, nanorods, nanotrees, patterned nanowires etc. were realized. These larger families of In2O3nanostructures were attained at very low temperature (~250-800°C). Structural analysis reveals that these In2O3 nanostructures are body centered cubic (bcc), with single crystal structure. TEM analysis showed that all different types of In2O3 nanostructures are single crystalline in nature. Raman and PL spectrum also showed that these wide varieties of In2O3 nanostructures have promising optical properties. It is noteworthy to mention that we are the first to develop large varieties of In2O3 nanostructures in grams quantity by reducing the overall growth temperature upto 250°C by a novel modified thermal evaporation and vapor transport techniques. For the first time horizontal and vertical nanopatterning of 1D In2O3 nanostructures is accomplished. On the basis of experimental parameters a possible growth mechanism for the formation of In2O3 nanostructures was proposed. The complex In2O3 nanostructures with high crystal quality provided new building blocks in future architecture functional nanodevices. These In2O3 nanostructures also have potential applications in ultrasensitive gas sensors, chemical and biosensor devices, where well defined easily accessible crystal surface is required. Hydrogen sensor response was measured for different types of In2O3 nanostructures and showed promising response and recovery time.