Surface acoustic wave ammonia sensor based on ZnO/SiO2 composite film.

A surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonator with ZnO/SiO2 (ZS) composite film was used as an ammonia sensor in this study. ZS composite films were deposited on the surface of SAW devices using the sol-gel method, and were characterized using SEM, AFM, and XRD. The performance of the sensors under ammonia gas was optimized by adjusting the molar ratio of ZnO:SiO2 to 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3, and the sensor with the ratio of ZnO to SiO2 equaling to 1:2 was found to have the best performance. The response of sensor was 1.132 kHz under 10 ppm NH3, which was much higher than that of the sensor based on a pristine ZnO film. Moreover, the sensor has good selectivity, reversibility and stability at room temperature. These can be attributed to the enhanced absorption of ammonia and unique surface reaction on composite films due to the existence of silica.

Highly sensitive room-temperature surface acoustic wave (SAW) ammonia sensors based on Co3O4/SiO2 composite films.

Surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors based on Co3O4/SiO2 composite sensing films for ammonia detection were investigated at room temperature. The Co3O4/SiO2 composite films were deposited onto ST-cut quartz SAW resonators by a sol-gel method. SEM and AFM characterizations showed that the films had porous structures. The existence of SiO2 was found to enhance the ammonia sensing property of the sensor significantly. The sensor based on a Co3O4/SiO2 composite film, with 50% Co3O4 loading, which had the highest RMS value (3.72), showed the best sensing property. It exhibited a positive frequency shift of 3500 Hz to 1 ppm ammonia as well as excellent selectivity, stability and reproducibility at room temperature. Moreover, a 37% decrease in the conductance of the composite film as well as a positive frequency shift of 12,500 Hz were observed when the sensor was exposed to 20 ppm ammonia, indicating the positive frequency shift was derived from the decrease in film conductance.