Investigation on LPG sensing of hydrothermally synthesized SnS nanomaterial

Abstract

The preparation of nanoparticles of tin sulfide (SnS) is reported employing the hydrothermal method. The X-ray diffraction results of tin sulfide nanopowder confirm its orthorhombic crystalline structure. Transmission electron micrographs (TEM) show that the as-prepared SnS nanoparticles are spherical in shape with the average size of 3-5 nm. Control over the particle size and size distribution have been achieved by optimizing the experimental parameters such as, precursor concentration, water concentration, reaction time and temperature. The scanning electron micrographs suggest the presence of spherical aggregates of smaller as well as larger sizes. Thermal stability of these nanoparticles is investigated by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The study of the sensing of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) showed good gas response of the prepared nanomaterial at low operating temperatures. The high crystallinity and control over the particle size make the as-synthesized SnS, an ideal candidate for LPG sensing.