Ordered array of one dimensional (1D) nanostructures have drawn much attention in several applications including antireflection coating, light trapping based optoelectronic devices, electronic communication, sensors, self-cleaning surfaces. Here, we presents the ordered 1D ZnO based nanostructure fabrication using sacrificial transfer printable PS colloidal templates for light induced gas sensing and self cleaning applications. The fabricated ordered ZnO nanorods with a periodic separation of 450 nm shows water contact angle of ~ 160° and contact angle hysteresis of &lt;5°, which helps water droplets to clean the accumulated dust and roll off from the surfaces of the samples. The photoconductive and room temperature light induced gas sensing properties of ordered ZnO nanostructures with periodic separation of 225 and 450 nm have studied in comparison to ZnO nanords without any order (control), under white light illumination with low intensity (400 µW/cm-2) condition. Ordered ZnO nanostructures sensors exhibit an enhanced sensing response upon exposure to NOx gas in both the conditions of high temperature and light illumination as compared to control ZnO sensor. The enhanced sensing response at high temperature for ordered ZnO sensors is mainly attributed to the increased chemical interactions with NOx molecules due to porosity nature of nanorods. On the other hand, the ordered ZnO nanorod arrays sensors with separation of 225 nm shows an enhanced response under light activation in comparison to that of nanorods with separation 450 nm and control one. This might be due to the light confinement within the sub-wavelength nanostructures. The optical absorption spectrum of ordered nanorods also confirms the enhanced absorption in the ordered ZnO nanostructures due to light confinement. Our study suggests the effective use of selectively ordered one dimension nanostructures to design the light induced gas sensors operated at room temperature with high sensing response.

Colloidal particle assisted fabrication of self-cleaning ordered ZnO nanostructures for enhanced room temperature gas sensing by light trapping mechanism

256th National Meeting (2018)

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