Au@In2O3 core–shell composites: a metal–semiconductor heterostructure for gas sensing applications. Issue 1 (1st December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Xiaowei; Liu, Jiangyang; Guo, Hang; Zhou, Xin; Wang, Chen; Sun, Peng; Hu, Xiaolong; Lu, Geyu
• Is Part Of: RSC advances. Volume 5:Issue 1(2015)
• Page Start: 545
• Page End: 551
• Publication Date: 2014-12-01
• Subjects: Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540.5
• DOI: 10.1039/c4ra12467g
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2046-2069

Abstract

Abstract : Hybrid Au@In2 O3 microstructures with a distinctive core–shell configuration exhibited potential applications in gas sensing. Abstract : Hybrid Au@In2 O3 microstructures with a distinctive core–shell configuration have been successfully synthesized by employing Au@carbon spheres as sacrificial templates. The In2 O3 shell can be easily decorated on the Au core by a facile aging process at room temperature (25 °C) combined with a subsequent calcination. Field emission electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images revealed that the Au@In2 O3 core–shell structures had an average diameter of about 150 nm and the thickness of the porous In2 O3 shell was ca. 50 nm. When tested as a potential sensing material for gas sensing, the resulting hybrid Au@In2 O3 core–shell structures exhibited a higher response to formaldehyde compared with the pure In2 O3 spheres. The enhanced sensing properties of Au@In2 O3 core–shell structures were attributed to their intense electron depletion that arose from the catalytic activity of Au nanoparticles and the formation of metal–semiconductor junction.