Journal of Sensors 
Volume 2008 (2008), Article ID 254283, 5 pages
doi:10.1155/2008/254283
Research Article

Titanium Dioxide-Based 64∘ YX LiNbO3 Surface Acoustic Wave Hydrogen Gas Sensors

A. Z. Sadek,1 D. Buso,2 A. Martucci,2 P. Mulvaney,3 W. Wlodarski,1 and K. Kalantar-zadeh1

 1School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne Victoria 3001, Australia
2Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Padova, via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy
3School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
Received 6 May 2008; Accepted 27 June 2008

Recommended by Michele Penza

Abstract

Amorphous titanium dioxide (TiO2) and gold (Au) doped TiO2-based surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors have been investigated as hydrogen gas detectors. The nanocrystal-doped TiO2 films were synthesized through a sol-gel route, mixing a Ti-butoxide-based solution with diluted colloidal gold nanoparticles. The films were deposited via spin coating onto 64∘ YX LiNbO3 SAW transducers in a helium atmosphere. The SAW gas sensors were operated at various temperatures between 150 and 310∘C. It was found that gold doping on TiO2 increased the device sensitivity and reduced the optimum operating temperature.