Nd-doped SnO2: characterization and its gas sensing property

Nd-doped (2%, 5%, 10% in mass ratio) SnO₂ powders were prepared via a facile hydrothermal procedure. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) specific surface area analyzers. Results showed that the Nd-doped SnO₂ samples had more uniform and smaller primary particles compared with the pure sample, the particle size of the doped SnO₂ decreased gradually with the increase of Nd, and the specific surface area also increased with the increase of the doped Nd. When used as gas sensing materials, the 5% and 10% Nd-doped sample showed high sensitivity and selectivity to ethanol. Furthermore, the Nd-doped sample showed fast response and recovery time to ethanol gas. This could be attributed to their small diameter, large surface area and Nd element doping.