Design of ultrasensitive gas sensor based on self-assembled Pd-SnO2/rGO porous ternary nanocomposites for ppb-level hydrogen

With the accelerating development of the hydrogen economy, more requirements are put forward for the detection capability of portable hydrogen sensors. Though the fast and accurate detection of hydrogen has been indispensable, there are still some challenges in the detection of extremely low concentrations of hydrogen. In this work, Pd-SnO2/rGO ternary nanocomposites with porous structures were synthesized by a facile template-free hydrothermal method. The effects of each element and its contents on the sensitivity and selectivity to hydrogen were systematically studied. The best hydrogen sensing property was produced by the synergistic effect of the 5.0 Pd-SnO2/rGO ternary nanocomposite, which showed a response of 32.38 toward 200 ppm hydrogen at 360 ℃. Especially, the response of 5.0 Pd-SnO2/rGO to 0.5 ppm (500 ppb) hydrogen reached 2.4, indicating the great potential in the detection of extremely low concentrations of hydrogen. The mechanism of high hydrogen sensitivity and selectivity was elaborated in combination with the analysis of band structure. All the as-prepared sensors exhibit quantitative concentration-response function relationships, favorable reversibility, and long-term stability. This work may provide a feasible strategy for the design of novel H2 sensors with high sensitivity to extremely low concentrations of hydrogen. [Display omitted] •Self-assembled Pd-SnO2/rGO porous composites were synthesized by a facile method.•5.0 Pd-SnO2/rGO exhibits an excellent response of 2.4 to ppb-level H2 of 0.5 ppm.•Effects of different elements and contents on sensing properties were elucidated.•Excellent H2 selectivity and stability were achieved by the synergistic effect.•The enhancement mechanism of sensing properties to H2 is systematically studied.