Aluminum doped zinc oxide nanoplatelets based sensor with enhanced hydrogen sulfide detection

Abstract This study explores the development of highly sensitive hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas sensors employing hierarchical aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) nanostructures. Vertically oriented AZO nanoplatelets with Al/ZnO molar ratios of 4% and 6% were successfully synthesized using an automated succ...

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Main Authors: Brahim Ydir, Amine Ajdour, Iulia Antohe, Gabriel Socol, Marcela Socol, Luiza-Izabela Toderascu, Driss Saadaoui, Imade Choulli, Radouane Leghrib, Houda Lahlou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-03-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-93252-6
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author Brahim Ydir
Amine Ajdour
Iulia Antohe
Gabriel Socol
Marcela Socol
Luiza-Izabela Toderascu
Driss Saadaoui
Imade Choulli
Radouane Leghrib
Houda Lahlou
author_facet Brahim Ydir
Amine Ajdour
Iulia Antohe
Gabriel Socol
Marcela Socol
Luiza-Izabela Toderascu
Driss Saadaoui
Imade Choulli
Radouane Leghrib
Houda Lahlou
author_sort Brahim Ydir
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This study explores the development of highly sensitive hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas sensors employing hierarchical aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) nanostructures. Vertically oriented AZO nanoplatelets with Al/ZnO molar ratios of 4% and 6% were successfully synthesized using an automated successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) technique. The morphological features of the AZO films significantly changed with the Al content. The AZO thin films exhibited a polycrystalline wurtzite structure and an increase in crystallite size with increasing Al concentrations. This work demonstrates that our AZO sensor structures achieved a maximum response at 150 ppm H2S and 573 K of 23.3%, being characterized by fast response and recovery times of 28 and 464 s, respectively. Notably, the 6% AZO samples exhibited an augmented selective sensitivity to H2S, demonstrating stable detection performance. Additionally, the significant improvement in detection capabilities can be attributed to the synergistic effects of electronic and chemical sensitization. These effects enhance the formation of active sites and create doping-induced defects while providing shorter and more efficient diffusion paths for the electrons, significantly improving the sensor’s sensitivity and response speed.
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spelling doaj-art-d450e941e46a44ce91330ce043f5e5a42025-08-20T03:01:23ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-03-0115111510.1038/s41598-025-93252-6Aluminum doped zinc oxide nanoplatelets based sensor with enhanced hydrogen sulfide detectionBrahim Ydir0Amine Ajdour1Iulia Antohe2Gabriel Socol3Marcela Socol4Luiza-Izabela Toderascu5Driss Saadaoui6Imade Choulli7Radouane Leghrib8Houda Lahlou9Laboratory of Materials, Signals, Systems and Physical Modeling, Faculty of Science, University Ibn ZohrLaboratory of Materials, Signals, Systems and Physical Modeling, Faculty of Science, University Ibn ZohrLasers Department, National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiation Physics (INFLPR)Lasers Department, National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiation Physics (INFLPR)National Institute of Materials PhysicsLasers Department, National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiation Physics (INFLPR)Laboratory of Materials, Signals, Systems and Physical Modeling, Faculty of Science, University Ibn ZohrLaboratory of Materials, Signals, Systems and Physical Modeling, Faculty of Science, University Ibn ZohrLaboratory of Materials, Signals, Systems and Physical Modeling, Faculty of Science, University Ibn ZohrLaboratory of Materials, Signals, Systems and Physical Modeling, Faculty of Science, University Ibn ZohrAbstract This study explores the development of highly sensitive hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas sensors employing hierarchical aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) nanostructures. Vertically oriented AZO nanoplatelets with Al/ZnO molar ratios of 4% and 6% were successfully synthesized using an automated successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) technique. The morphological features of the AZO films significantly changed with the Al content. The AZO thin films exhibited a polycrystalline wurtzite structure and an increase in crystallite size with increasing Al concentrations. This work demonstrates that our AZO sensor structures achieved a maximum response at 150 ppm H2S and 573 K of 23.3%, being characterized by fast response and recovery times of 28 and 464 s, respectively. Notably, the 6% AZO samples exhibited an augmented selective sensitivity to H2S, demonstrating stable detection performance. Additionally, the significant improvement in detection capabilities can be attributed to the synergistic effects of electronic and chemical sensitization. These effects enhance the formation of active sites and create doping-induced defects while providing shorter and more efficient diffusion paths for the electrons, significantly improving the sensor’s sensitivity and response speed.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-93252-6Gas sensorHydrogen sulfideNanoplateletsAluminum-doped zinc oxide
spellingShingle Brahim Ydir
Amine Ajdour
Iulia Antohe
Gabriel Socol
Marcela Socol
Luiza-Izabela Toderascu
Driss Saadaoui
Imade Choulli
Radouane Leghrib
Houda Lahlou
Aluminum doped zinc oxide nanoplatelets based sensor with enhanced hydrogen sulfide detection
Scientific Reports
Gas sensor
Hydrogen sulfide
Nanoplatelets
Aluminum-doped zinc oxide
title Aluminum doped zinc oxide nanoplatelets based sensor with enhanced hydrogen sulfide detection
title_full Aluminum doped zinc oxide nanoplatelets based sensor with enhanced hydrogen sulfide detection
title_fullStr Aluminum doped zinc oxide nanoplatelets based sensor with enhanced hydrogen sulfide detection
title_full_unstemmed Aluminum doped zinc oxide nanoplatelets based sensor with enhanced hydrogen sulfide detection
title_short Aluminum doped zinc oxide nanoplatelets based sensor with enhanced hydrogen sulfide detection
title_sort aluminum doped zinc oxide nanoplatelets based sensor with enhanced hydrogen sulfide detection
topic Gas sensor
Hydrogen sulfide
Nanoplatelets
Aluminum-doped zinc oxide
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-93252-6
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