Facile Au catalyst loading on the inner shell of hollow SnO2 spheres using Au-decorated block copolymer sphere templates and their selective H2S sensing characteristics

Nanoscale. 2014 Oct 21;6(20):11898-903. doi: 10.1039/c4nr03706e. Epub 2014 Sep 1.

Abstract

Hollow SnO2 spheres functionalized by Au catalysts were synthesized via the use of Au-decorated block copolymer (Au-BCP) sphere templates. Uniformly distributed Au nanoparticles on BCP spheres were prepared by the infiltration of Au precursors into polystyrene-b-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) spheres. A thin SnO2 layer was coated on the Au-BCP spheres using RF sputtering at room temperature without morphological deformation of the spheres. The Au nanoparticles were uniformly transferred from the Au-BCP spheres to the inner shells of the hollow SnO2 spheres followed by decomposition of BCP spheres. The Au-loaded hollow SnO2 spheres exhibited a superior H2S sensitivity (Rair/Rgas = 17.4 at 5 ppm) with remarkably selective characteristics with a minor response (Rair/Rgas < 2.5 at 5 ppm) toward other interfering gases. Our results pave the way for a new catalyst loading method using Au-BCP spheres for the uniformly distributed Au NPs on the SnO2 layers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Breath Tests / methods*
  • Catalysis
  • Gases
  • Gold / chemistry*
  • Halitosis / diagnosis*
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen Sulfide / chemistry
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Nanoparticles
  • Nanotechnology
  • Oxygen / chemistry
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Polystyrenes / chemistry
  • Polyvinyls / chemistry
  • Pyridines / chemistry
  • Surface Properties
  • Temperature
  • Tin Compounds / chemistry*

Substances

  • Gases
  • Polymers
  • Polystyrenes
  • Polyvinyls
  • Pyridines
  • Tin Compounds
  • polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine)
  • Gold
  • stannic oxide
  • Oxygen
  • Hydrogen Sulfide