Resistive-type sensors based on few-layer MXene and SnO2 hollow spheres heterojunctions: facile synthesis, ethanol sensing performances

High-performance and low-cost gas sensors are highly desirable and involved in industrial production and environmental detection. The combination of highly conductive MXene and metal oxide materials is a promising strategy to further improve the sensing performances. In this study, the hollow SnO2 nanospheres and few-layer MXene are assembled rationally via facile electrostatic synthesis processes, then the SnO2/Ti3C2Tx nanocomposites were obtained. Compared with that based on either pure SnO2 nanoparticles or hollow nanospheres of SnO2, the SnO2/Ti3C2Tx composite-based sensor exhibits much better sensing performances such as higher response (36.979), faster response time (5 s), and much improved selectivity as well as stability (15 days) to 100 ppm C2H5OH at low working temperature (200 °C). The improved sensing performances are mainly attributed to the large specific surface area and significantly increased oxygen vacancy concentration, which provides a large number of active sites for gas adsorption and surface catalytic reaction. In addition, the heterostructure interfaces between SnO2 hollow spheres and MXene layers are beneficial to gas sensing behaviors due to the synergistic effect.