Solid-State Method Synthesis of SnO(2)-Decorated g-C(3)N(4) Nanocomposites with Enhanced Gas-Sensing Property to Ethanol

SnO(2)/graphitic carbon nitride (g-C(3)N(4)) composites were synthesized via a facile solid-state method by using SnCl(4)·5H(2)O and urea as the precursor. The structure and morphology of the as-synthesized composites were characterized by the techniques of X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and N(2) sorption. The results indicated that the composites possessed a two-dimensional (2-D) structure, and the SnO(2) nanoparticles were highly dispersed on the surface of the g-C(3)N(4) nanosheets. The gas-sensing performance of the samples to ethanol was tested, and the SnO(2)/g-C(3)N(4) nanocomposite-based sensor exhibited admirable properties. The response value (Ra/Rg) of the SnO(2)/g-C(3)N(4) nanocomposite with 10 wt % 2-D g-C(3)N(4) content-based sensor to 500 ppm of ethanol was 550 at 300 °C. However, the response value of pure SnO(2) was only 320. The high surface area of SnO(2)/g-C(3)N(4)-10 (140 m(2)·g(−1)) and the interaction between 2-D g-C(3)N(4) and SnO(2) could strongly affect the gas-sensing property.