Novel dual-functional manganese stannate thin film for acetone gas sensing and photocatalytic methyl orange degradation

Increasing health concerns due to pollution has led to the development of various materials to control exposure to pollutants such as toxic gases and contaminated water. In this study, novel manganese stannate (MTO) composite thin films were synthesized <i>via</i> sol-gel spin coating and their structural, morphological, and chemical properties were extensively characterized. In addition, their photocatalytic and gas-sensing abilities were evaluated. In photocatalysis, degradation efficiency measures of how well a photocatalyst can degrade pollutants or dyes under light exposure. Remarkably, the MTO film exhibited a high degradation efficiency of 67% for methyl orange (MO) dye when exposed to UV light for 150 minutes. We also examined the gas-sensing properties of the MTO thin films, particularly their response to acetone. In gas sensors, sensitivity is often reported as a percentage, indicating the relative change in the sensor's response per unit change in analyte concentration. Herein, the sensors displayed a linear response within the 1-9 ppm range of acetone concentration at an operating temperature of 200 °C. They also exhibited excellent selectivity, sensitivity, and repeatability, thus emerging as promising candidates for acetone gas-sensing applications. A sensitivity of 22% was achieved by the sensors, allowing for a low detection limit of 1 ppm, which indicated their high sensitivity towards acetone gas. Moreover, the MTO sensor exhibited response and recovery times of 15 and 16 seconds, respectively. Based on these results, the MTO thin film is a potential material for photocatalytic MO degradation and a gas sensor for acetone detection.