One pot synthesis of hierarchical and porous ZnSnO3 nanocubes and gas sensing properties to formaldehyde

[Display omitted] •We have fabricated successfully hierarchical ZnSnO3 nanocubes.•The hierarchical ZnSnO3 nanocubes exhibit the biggest specific surface area.•The hierarchical ZnSnO3 nanocubes exhibit excellent sensing performances to HCHO. The hierarchical and porous nanomaterials usually present excellently physicochemical functions. Here, we report the successful preparation of three different ZnSnO3 nanocubes using different surfactant by one-pot hydrothermal method. The as-prepared hierarchical and porous ZnSnO3 nanocube was assisted by NaF, which exhibited the largest specific surface area and the maximum quantity of oxygen vacancy. Moreover, the film sensor made of hierarchical and porous ZnSnO3 nanocubes showed the most superior gas sensing performance to formaldehyde compared with that of the other two nanocubes. This unique hierarchical and porous ZnSnO3 nanocubes hold substantial promise to be a potential gas-sensing material to detect formaldehyde.