Synthesis, characterization and hydrogen gas sensing of ZnO/g-C₃N₄ nanocomposite

This Paper describes for the first time incorporation of ZnO nanorods on porous graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) matrix for the efficient hydrogen gas sensing. Researchers have explored g-C₃N₄ for various applications such as a catalyst for water splitting, photoluminescence, storage because of its relatively low cost, easy synthesis, and ready availability. For the synthesis of g-C₃N₄, urea was used as a precursor at 550-600 ^°C and at ambient pressure under a muffle furnace without add-on support. ZnO nanorods were synthesis by the direct thermal pyrolysis of Zinc acetate hexahydrate. g-C₃N₄ and ZnO/g-C₃N₄ were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). ZnO/g-C₃N₄ film was deposited on an interdigitated carbon electrode. Significant change in the resistance was observed during the presence and absence of hydrogen gas. The response and recovery time of the sensor were calculated for the sensor at various different concentrations of analyte gases.