Coupling between conductive Co3(HITP)2 and SnO2 NPs for heterogeneous architectures: Toward sensitive chemiresistors for H2S at room temperature

[Display omitted] •SnO2 NPs decorated Co3(HITP)2 were used for high-performance H2S detection at RT.•SnxCo sensor showed excellent H2S sensing properties.•Heterojunctions between Co3(HITP)2 and SnO2 contributed to the sensitivity.•Sn1Co sensor showed great potential in meat freshness detection. Conductive metal–organic frameworks (C-MOF) having high surface area and reactivity offer great potential for chemiresistors. However, a highly sensitive, reversible, and high-speed gas sensor based on such materials still remains challenges. Herein, hybrid SnO2 NPs decorated Co3(HITP)2 NPs (SnO2@Co3(HITP)2) nanocomposites were synthesized as high active and conductive sensing material of chemiresistors for high-performance H2S detection at room temperature (RT). The SnO2@Co3(HITP)2 nanocomposites exhibit remarkably improved H2S sensing performance at RT, especially Sn1Co sensor shows higher response and excellent selectivity toward H2S gas under various measurement conditions. The enhanced gas sensing performance is discussed in terms of the adsorption behavior and the heterojunctions between Co3(HITP)2 and SnO2 using density functional theory (DFT) and band theory. The SnO2@Co3(HITP)2 hybrids discloses a novel strategy for designing high-performance Co3(HITP)2-based H2S gas sensors. Furthermore, Sn1Co sensor can successfully distinguish fresh meat from that stored for several days, demonstrating its ability in freshness of food detection.