Facile synthesis and superior ethyl acetate sensing performance of Au decorated ZnO flower-like architectures

Au decorated ZnO flower-like architectures assembled from single crystal nanowires have been successfully synthesized. A facile thermal treatment route was employed, utilizing the composite gel of zinc acetate and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) as raw materials and was followed by a subsequent Au reduction process. PVP served as a surfactant and played a critical role in the generation of crystalline nanowires as well as for the formation of ZnO flower-like structure. Based on control experiments, the growth mechanism of ZnO flower-like structures was proposed. The diameter of ZnO crystalline nanowires was approximately 50-80 nm and the size of Au particles deposited on the surface of ZnO nanowires was approximately 5 nm. When tested as gas sensing material, the as-prepared Au decorated ZnO flower-like architecture exhibited superior gas sensing performance compared to ethyl acetate in terms of high response (approximately 102 at 100 ppm), short response and recovery times (10 s and 13 s, respectively), and low operating temperature (240 degrees C). The superior gas sensing performances are mainly attributed to the synergistic effects of ZnO crystalline nanowires and Au nanoparticles, as well as to the flower-like structure.