In this work, CuO-loaded tetragonal SnO2 nanoparticles (CuO/SnO2 NPs) were synthesized using precipitation/impregnation methods with varying Cu contents of 0-25 wt% and characterized for H2S detection. The material phase, morphology, chemical composition, and specific surface area of NPs were evaluated using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis. From gas-sensing data, the H2S responses of SnO2 NPs were greatly enhanced by CuO loading particularly at the optimal Cu content of 20 wt%. The 20 wt% CuO/SnO2 sensor showed an excellent response of 1.36 × 105 toward 10 ppm H2S and high H2S selectivity against H2, SO2, CH4, and C2H2 at a low optimum working temperature of 200 °C. In addition, the sensor provided fast response and a low detection limit of less than 0.15 ppm. The CuO-SnO2 sensor could therefore be a potential candidate for H2S detection in environmental applications.
Keywords: CuO/SnO2 thick films; Gas sensor; Hydrogen sulfide; Precipitation/impregnation; Sensing mechanism.