Formation of well-packed TiO2 nanoparticles on multiwall carbon nanotubes using CVD method to fabricate high sensitive gas sensors

Titanium oxide nanoparticles were coated on multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) using an atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (CVD) to achieve highly compact nanoparticles of about 5 nm on CNT structure. The CNTs with a diameter of about 50 nm were grown by plasma enhanced CVD. Gas sensitivity of the fabricated structure was investigated and compared with TiO2/CNT composite-based gas sensors. The effect of the structural interaction between the nanoparticles and the CNT wall on sensing mechanism of the as-prepared gas sensors was investigated. Ultrasensitive gas sensors were obtained by TiO2/CNT nanostructures with strong interaction between the MWCNT and the TiO2 nanoparticles. The measurements show high chemical activity and exceptional electrical response of the as-prepared structure being exposed to gases. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis were used to obtain structural information.