Room-temperature sensitivity to NO2 exposure of electrochemically-deposited nanostructured ZnO layers

Abstract

This paper reports studies on the sensitivity of ZnO layers to NO 2 exposure. ZnO layers were fabricated by electrochemical deposition on the surface of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) with Au electrodes. The sensitivity was estimated using the frequency-time characteristics of the QCM. For this purpose, the resonance frequency shift was measured. The sorption process was investigated in a NO2 gas flow. The change in the resonance frequency, f of the QCM as a function of the loaded mass of NO 2 was followed for a NO2 concentration of 500 ppm. Under gas exposure, the frequency decreased and reached saturation in five min. A frequency shift of 38 Hz was measured and a mass loading of 8.39 ng was calculated. The resonance frequency showed a very good recovery within two minutes after the NO2 flow was switched off. The results demonstrate that the electrodeposited nanostructured ZnO layers have a potential for application as NO2 gas sensors.