Nanocrystalline cellulose templated Ce activated SnO2 quantum dots nanofibers effectively enhance acetone detection

High sensitivity acetone sensor can realize the non-invasive detection of diabetic patients. SnO 2 and Ce doped SnO 2 with nanofibers structure were prepared from environmentally friendly and renewable nanocrystalline cellulose as a template. The preparation method is highly efficient and environmentally friendly. The characterization results indicate that the SnO 2 and Ce doped SnO 2 nanofibers are composed of 3–5 nm SnO 2 nanoparticles, which exhibited strong catalytic ability with quantum dots effect and high specific surface area. In addition, DFT calculations revealed that doped Ce activated the surrounding Sn atoms, significantly enhancing the adsorption capacity of Sn for acetone. Ce doping reduces the band gap of SnO 2 , which is more conducive to the excitation transition of electrons. And the difference in ionic radius between Ce 3 + and Sn 4+ will cause lattice distortion and introduce more oxygen vacancies, further enhancing the adsorption capacity of acetone. In situ infrared spectroscopy investigated the catalytic oxidation process of acetone on the sensor surface. The 3 wt% Ce doped SnO 2 nanofibers exhibited good sensing performance and low detection limit for acetone gas at 170°C. The efforts in the research have demonstrated that Ce doped SnO 2 nanofibers may be potential candidates for the detection of exhaled gases in diabetes.