Au/In2S3 nanocomposites for selective triethylamine detection at low temperature

As a typical environmental pollutant, triethylamine (TEA) poses a serious threat to people's life and health, so it is very important to monitor it in real time and accurately. In this paper, Au/In2S3 nanocomposites with prominent selectivity for TEA were directly grown on Al2O3 ceramic tubes by hydrothermal method. The characterization results showed that In2S3 samples were composed of nanosheets and presented as flower spheres with a diameter of about 5 & mu;m, which were uniform in size and good in crystallization. In addition, the optimum operating temperature for pure In2S3 is 240 degrees C, while the optimum operating temperature for Au/In2S3 nanocomposites is reduced to 160 degrees C, and the response is also significantly improved, from 354.8% to 802.3%, which is due to the spillover effect and catalysis of Au nanoparticles. Finally, the adsorption energy and electron behavior were calculated and analyzed by density functional theory (DFT), and then the sensing mechanism was explained. Therefore, Au/In2S3 sensors have potential application value in the practical monitoring of TEA, and provide a feasible strategy for improving the response of metal sulfide sensors.