Platinum (Pt) Nanoparticles Decorated Zinc Oxide (ZnO) Nanorods for Selective Carbon Monoxide Detection at Low Operating Temperature

A highly sensitive and selective CO gas sensor has been developed with platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) decorated zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO NRs). ZnO NRs were grown on patterned fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrates using the hydrothermal method. Chemically grown Pt NPs were drop-casted on ZnO NRs for decreasing operating temperature and improving the sensor response, sensitivity, selectivity and detection limit. This nanorod-based CO sensor showed maximum sensor response at 170[Formula: see text]C operating temperature after 300[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]L Pt NPs loading. The sensor demonstrated six times higher sensitivity compared to pristine ZnO NRs with a lower limit of detection of 7.6 ppb.