Cu-doped flower-like SnO2 architecture toward promoting SO2 detection: Fast equilibrium and low trace monitoring

Design of practical tin oxide (SnO2) semiconductor gas sensors is fundamental strategy to detect hazardous gases such as SO2. However, challenges remain in the detection of SO2 gas at low concentration and slow equilibrium between gas adsorption and desorption. Herein, the superior performance of nanostructured of Cu-doped flower-like SnO2 architecture via feasible hydrothermal method demonstrated for the detection of SO2 gas at low concentration (1–20 ppm) and fast gas adsorption and desorption equilibrium (14 s) towards 5 ppm SO2. Furthermore, the as fabricated 3 mol% Cu-doped SnO2 shows an outstanding gas response (∼ 4.05–20 ppm SO2) at the working temperature of 300 ℃. The Cu-doping strategy may pave the way to ultrasensitive SO2 gas sensor possessing low trace monitoring and fast equilibrium ability to satisfy the increasing demand for toxic SO2 gas detection.