Growth of SnS nanoparticles and its ability as ethanol gas sensor

SnS nanoparticles are grown by chemical route using tetrahydrofuran as medium. Sodium borohydride acts as reducing agent. The growth time is varied from 3 to 14 h at room temperature. The crystallite size increases with increase of growth time. The band gap is maximum for 3 h grown sample and decreases for samples grown for longer time. Photoluminescence spectra show possible defect states. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis shows that stoichiometry is well maintained for sample grown for 7 h. The films of SnS are deposited on glass from the dispersed medium. Atomic force microscopy analysis shows that roughness is small for lower growth time sample. The gas sensing in ethanol are carried out for different growth time films. The sensitivity is maximum for optimum growth time sample i.e. for the sample grown for 7 h. The chain like structure and good stochiometry of the SnS nanoparticles increases the sensitivity of ethanol gas sensing. Rapid response and recovery times of these sensors are observed for samples especially for 7 h grown sample at 250 °C.