Ethanol sensing properties of chemosynthesized CdO nanowires and nanowalls

Nanowires and nanowalls of the Cadmium oxide (CdO) films were synthesized by a simple one pot chemical bath deposition (CBD) method at room temperature. The Triton X-100 (TX) was used as a structure directing agent/surfactant to tune the morphology of CdO thin films. Its effect on the film thickness, crystallinity, wettability and ethanol gas sensitivity is studied. The thickness of the film is increased from 0.11 μm to 0.51 μm with the addition of TX in the growth solution. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns reveal the improvement in crystallinity of CdO for TX assisted films. Scanning electron micrographs (SEMs) show the transformation of morphology from nanowires to the bundle of nano-sheets. Ethanol gas sensitivity is found to be enhanced for TX assisted CdO films. Enhancement in gas sensitivity is due to formation of highly porous nanowalls and increment in the hydrophilicity of the CdO films.