Pd@Pt Core–Shell Nanocrystal-Decorated ZnO Nanosheets for ppt-Level NO2 Detection

Bimetallic nanocrystals (NCs) have obtained significant attention due to their unique advantages of the intrinsic properties of individual metals and synergistic enhancements resulting from the electronic coupling between two constituent metals. In this work, Pd@Pt core–shell NCs were prepared through a facile one-pot solution-phase method, which had excellent dispersion and uniform size. Concurrently, ZnO nanosheets were prepared via a hydrothermal method. To explore their potential in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) gas sensing applications, sensitive materials based on ZnO nanosheets with varying mass percentages of Pd@Pt NCs were generated through an impregnation process. The sensor based on 0.3 wt % Pd@Pt-ZnO exhibited remarkable performance, demonstrating a substantial response (Rg/Ra = 60.3) to 50 ppb of NO2 at a low operating temperature of 80 °C. Notably, this sensor reached an outstanding low detection limit of 300 ppt. The enhancement in gas sensing capabilities can be attributed to the sensitization and synergistic effects imparted by the exceptional catalytic activity of Pd@Pt NCs, which significantly promoted the reaction. This research introduces a novel approach for the utilization of core–shell structured bimetallic nanocrystals as modifiers in metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) materials for NO2 detection.