Porous CuO–ZnO nanocomposite for sensing electrode of high-temperature CO solid-state electrochemical sensor

A highly porous and nanostructured CuO–ZnO composite has been synthesized for the sensing electrode of a solid-state electrochemical sensor for the high-temperature detection of carbon monoxide. The sensing electrode is made of ZnO nanotetrapod supported CuO nanoparticles. The ZnO nanotetrapods form a three-dimensional interconnected network, leading to a highly porous electrode. The ZnO nanotetrapods on which the CuO nanoparticles are highly dispersedly supported have a high surface-to-volume ratio while maintaining thermal stability at high temperature. Our approach provides an inexpensive route for large-scale production of porous and nanostructured electrodes, which increases the sensitivity of solid-state electrochemical sensors for on-line gas detection at high temperature.