Room temperature nanoarchitectonics of ultrafine SnO2 and Cu-doped SnO2 crystallites for advanced H2S sensing

We report a generalized route for synthesizing pure SnO2 and Cu (1 and 3 at%) doped SnO2 at room temperature with crystallite size in a nanometer range of 1.0-3.0 nm using CuCl2, nitric acid and Sn metal. The structural properties of these samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The open system was used to monitor heat generation. Thin films of SnO2 and SnO2:xCu nanocrystallites were prepared using a mixture of surfactant (docusate sodium salt), SnO2, water and cyclohexane. H2S sensing at room temperature was performed. The Cu-doped SnO2 sample showed higher sensitivity than pure SnO2, and its sensitivity was more than that of the reported ones.