Improved ethanol sensing behaviour of cadmium sulphide nanoflakes: Beneficial effect of morphology

Enhancement of gas sensing response by synthesizing various architecture at nanoscale has attracted considerable scientific interest. This article delineates the observation of highest response of CdS nano structure towards ethanol than the previously best reported value. Various CdS nanocrystals were grown using facile sonication technique. X-ray diffraction was utilized to confirm the growth of single phase CdS nanostructures. Scanning and transmission electron microscopies were utilized to extract the microstructural and morphological information. These CdS nanostructures demonstrated n-type semiconducting behaviour and very sensitive to ethanol in comparison with other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It was observed that the gas sensors based on CdS nanoflakes exhibit fascinating performance including high response (30%) even at very low (1 ppm) concentration, ultrafast response (3 s) and recovery time (5 s), low operating temperature. Largest surface area and porosity as obtained from nitrogen adsorption/desorption study could be responsible for the highest sensing properties of CdS nanoflakes. Results delineated by CdS nanoflakes were very promising for the development of stable ethanol sensor. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.