Chemiresistive ethanol sensors based on In₂O₃/ZnSnO₃ nanocubes

By combining hydrothermal and calcination processes, In₂O₃/ZnSnO₃ cubic crystallite composites have been successfully synthesized. The crystal structure and morphology of the as-synthesized In₂O₃/ZnSnO₃ have been characterized employing X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In terms of better gas response, fast response, repeatability, and a lower operating temperature, the In₂O₃/ZnSnO₃ cubic crystallites displayed selective sensing performance towards ethanol, specifically, the response is 14.9, and response/recovery times are 45 s and 24 s, respectively, to 100 ppm ethanol at 250 °C. This research reveals that the synthetic In₂O₃/ZnSnO₃ cubic crystallite composites exhibit significant ethanol sensing properties due to the synergetic effect between In₂O₃ and ZnSnO₃, oxygen vacancies, and high specific surface area, making them a potential material for constructing high-performance ethanol sensors.