High-Performance Hydrogen Sensing at Room Temperature via Nb-Doped Titanium Oxide Thin Films Fabricated by Micro-Arc Oxidation
Metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) hydrogen sensors offer advantages, such as high sensitivity and fast response, but their challenges remain in achieving low-cost fabrication and stable operation at room temperature. This study investigates Nb-doped TiO<sub>2</sub> (NTO) thin films prepare...
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| Format: | Article |
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2025-01-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/2/124 |
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| author | Chilou Zhou Zhiqiu Ye Yue Tan Zhenghua Wu Xinyi Guo Yinglin Bai Xuying Xie Zilong Wu Ji’an Feng Yao Xu Bo Deng Hao Wu |
| author_facet | Chilou Zhou Zhiqiu Ye Yue Tan Zhenghua Wu Xinyi Guo Yinglin Bai Xuying Xie Zilong Wu Ji’an Feng Yao Xu Bo Deng Hao Wu |
| author_sort | Chilou Zhou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) hydrogen sensors offer advantages, such as high sensitivity and fast response, but their challenges remain in achieving low-cost fabrication and stable operation at room temperature. This study investigates Nb-doped TiO<sub>2</sub> (NTO) thin films prepared via a one-step micro-arc oxidation (MAO) with the addition of Nb<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> nanoparticles into the electrolyte for room-temperature hydrogen sensing. The characterization results revealed that the incorporation of Nb<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> altered the film’s morphology and phase composition, increasing the Nb content and forming a homogeneous composite thin film. Hydrogen sensing tests demonstrated that the NTO samples exhibited significantly improved sensitivity, selectivity, and stability compared to undoped TiO<sub>2</sub>. Among the fabricated samples, NTO thin film prepared at Nb<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> concentration of 6 g/L (NTO-6) showed the best performance, with a broad detection range, excellent sensitivity, rapid response, and good specificity to hydrogen. A strong linear relationship between response values and hydrogen concentration (10–1000 ppm) highlights its potential for precise hydrogen detection. The enhanced hydrogen sensing mechanism of NTO thin films primarily stems from the influence of Nb<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>; nanoparticles doping in the anatase-phase TiO<sub>2</sub> structure on the semiconductor surface depletion layer, as well as the improved charge transfer and additional adsorption sites provided by the Nb/Ti composite metal oxides, such as TiNb<sub>2</sub>O<sub>7</sub> and Ti<sub>0.95</sub>Nb<sub>0.95</sub>O<sub>4</sub>. This study demonstrates the potential of MAO-fabricated Nb-doped TiO<sub>2</sub> thin films as efficient and reliable hydrogen sensors operating at room temperature, offering a pathway for novel gas-sensing technologies to support clean energy applications. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-457b113728a74bfa9c42008e36803c80 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj-art-457b113728a74bfa9c42008e36803c802025-01-24T13:44:13ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912025-01-0115212410.3390/nano15020124High-Performance Hydrogen Sensing at Room Temperature via Nb-Doped Titanium Oxide Thin Films Fabricated by Micro-Arc OxidationChilou Zhou0Zhiqiu Ye1Yue Tan2Zhenghua Wu3Xinyi Guo4Yinglin Bai5Xuying Xie6Zilong Wu7Ji’an Feng8Yao Xu9Bo Deng10Hao Wu11School of Mechanical and Automobile Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, ChinaSchool of Mechanical and Automobile Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, ChinaGuangdong Institute of Special Equipment Inspection and Research, Foshan 510655, ChinaGuangdong Key Laboratory of Materials and Equipment in Harsh Marine Environment, School of Ocean Engineering, Guangzhou Maritime University, Guangzhou 510725, ChinaGuangdong Key Laboratory of Materials and Equipment in Harsh Marine Environment, School of Ocean Engineering, Guangzhou Maritime University, Guangzhou 510725, ChinaGuangdong Key Laboratory of Materials and Equipment in Harsh Marine Environment, School of Ocean Engineering, Guangzhou Maritime University, Guangzhou 510725, ChinaGuangdong Key Laboratory of Materials and Equipment in Harsh Marine Environment, School of Ocean Engineering, Guangzhou Maritime University, Guangzhou 510725, ChinaSchool of Mechanical and Automobile Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, ChinaGuangdong Key Laboratory of Materials and Equipment in Harsh Marine Environment, School of Ocean Engineering, Guangzhou Maritime University, Guangzhou 510725, ChinaGuangdong Institute of Special Equipment Inspection and Research, Foshan 510655, ChinaGuangdong Institute of Special Equipment Inspection and Research, Foshan 510655, ChinaGuangdong Key Laboratory of Materials and Equipment in Harsh Marine Environment, School of Ocean Engineering, Guangzhou Maritime University, Guangzhou 510725, ChinaMetal oxide semiconductor (MOS) hydrogen sensors offer advantages, such as high sensitivity and fast response, but their challenges remain in achieving low-cost fabrication and stable operation at room temperature. This study investigates Nb-doped TiO<sub>2</sub> (NTO) thin films prepared via a one-step micro-arc oxidation (MAO) with the addition of Nb<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> nanoparticles into the electrolyte for room-temperature hydrogen sensing. The characterization results revealed that the incorporation of Nb<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> altered the film’s morphology and phase composition, increasing the Nb content and forming a homogeneous composite thin film. Hydrogen sensing tests demonstrated that the NTO samples exhibited significantly improved sensitivity, selectivity, and stability compared to undoped TiO<sub>2</sub>. Among the fabricated samples, NTO thin film prepared at Nb<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> concentration of 6 g/L (NTO-6) showed the best performance, with a broad detection range, excellent sensitivity, rapid response, and good specificity to hydrogen. A strong linear relationship between response values and hydrogen concentration (10–1000 ppm) highlights its potential for precise hydrogen detection. The enhanced hydrogen sensing mechanism of NTO thin films primarily stems from the influence of Nb<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>; nanoparticles doping in the anatase-phase TiO<sub>2</sub> structure on the semiconductor surface depletion layer, as well as the improved charge transfer and additional adsorption sites provided by the Nb/Ti composite metal oxides, such as TiNb<sub>2</sub>O<sub>7</sub> and Ti<sub>0.95</sub>Nb<sub>0.95</sub>O<sub>4</sub>. This study demonstrates the potential of MAO-fabricated Nb-doped TiO<sub>2</sub> thin films as efficient and reliable hydrogen sensors operating at room temperature, offering a pathway for novel gas-sensing technologies to support clean energy applications.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/2/124micro-arc oxidationhydrogen sensorNb-doped titanium oxidesemiconductor |
| spellingShingle | Chilou Zhou Zhiqiu Ye Yue Tan Zhenghua Wu Xinyi Guo Yinglin Bai Xuying Xie Zilong Wu Ji’an Feng Yao Xu Bo Deng Hao Wu High-Performance Hydrogen Sensing at Room Temperature via Nb-Doped Titanium Oxide Thin Films Fabricated by Micro-Arc Oxidation Nanomaterials micro-arc oxidation hydrogen sensor Nb-doped titanium oxide semiconductor |
| title | High-Performance Hydrogen Sensing at Room Temperature via Nb-Doped Titanium Oxide Thin Films Fabricated by Micro-Arc Oxidation |
| title_full | High-Performance Hydrogen Sensing at Room Temperature via Nb-Doped Titanium Oxide Thin Films Fabricated by Micro-Arc Oxidation |
| title_fullStr | High-Performance Hydrogen Sensing at Room Temperature via Nb-Doped Titanium Oxide Thin Films Fabricated by Micro-Arc Oxidation |
| title_full_unstemmed | High-Performance Hydrogen Sensing at Room Temperature via Nb-Doped Titanium Oxide Thin Films Fabricated by Micro-Arc Oxidation |
| title_short | High-Performance Hydrogen Sensing at Room Temperature via Nb-Doped Titanium Oxide Thin Films Fabricated by Micro-Arc Oxidation |
| title_sort | high performance hydrogen sensing at room temperature via nb doped titanium oxide thin films fabricated by micro arc oxidation |
| topic | micro-arc oxidation hydrogen sensor Nb-doped titanium oxide semiconductor |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/2/124 |
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