The catalytic effect of Pt0 species on Pt/ZnO nanorods for robust triethylamine sensing detection

The noble metal Pt modified ZnO nanomaterials are widely used to improve their gas sensing performance. However, the relationship between the catalytic effect of Pt x+ species on the oxygen vacancies formation and gas-sensing performance is still unclear. Herein, the Pt/ZnO nanorods are successfully synthesized by using hydrothermal method , and the content of Pt 0 species are finely tuned through treating in different atmospheres. Notably, Pt modified ZnO calcined under Ar/H 2 (Pt/ZnO-3) exhibits excellent sensing response (R a /R g = 2196, 81 times higher than pure ZnO) to 50 ppm triethylamine at 140 °C, with fast response/recovery behavior, low limit of detection, and superior selectivity. Detailed structural characterization indicates that Pt nanoparticle modification reduces the band gap of the samples. In addition, the high content of Pt 0 species promotes the generation of adsorbed oxygen, which significantly enhances the gas-sensitive performance of the sensor. This work demonstrates that the concentration of Pt 0 species greatly affects gas-sensing performance.