Micro-structure of graphite-intercalated tin oxide and its influence on SnO2-based gas sensors

A nano-scaled graphite oxide (GO) was prepared with a micro-layer structure for intercalation. Graphite-intercalated SnO₂ was obtained at temperatures lower than 100vH. The morphology, microstructure, crystalline phases and thermal property of this intercalative composite were studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetrythermogravimetry (DSC-TG) doped with a proper amount of graphite-intercalated composites (GITs), GIT-SnO2 composite was obtained after heat treatment. This combined gas sensor reveals low resistance and high sensitivity to butane between 200vH and 300vH.