BNQDs sensitized in-situ growth ZnO nanorod arrays for enhancing the gas sensing performances to acetone

In this study, in-situ ordered ZnO nanorod arrays (ZnONRs) sensitized by boron nitride quantum dots (BNQDs) were synthesized on the ceramic tube via a simple hydrothermal method. XRD, SEM, TEM, and XPS techniques were employed to characterize the crystalline phase, detailed morphologies, and chemical bond states of the samples. The gas-sensing properties of the sensor for acetone were systematically investigated. The results demonstrated that ZnONRs compounded with BNQDs (BN-ZnONRs) were 1.7 times more responsive to acetone than the pristine ZnONRs, the sensors possessed rapid response/recovery times and outstanding stability. The enhanced sensing performances of BN-ZnONRs can be ascribed to the sensitization effect of BNQDs, which resulted in the adsorption of additional oxygen-active species on the material surface and an effective reduction in the reaction's activation energy.