Combination of chemical vapor deposition and thermal growth methods for facile synthesis of tin oxide-doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes

Transition metal oxides (TMOs), such as tin dioxide (SnO₂)-based materials, are claimed to be one of the most interesting classes of solids, exhibiting varieties of properties, structures and applications. TMOs have been attracting growing research attention due to their characteristic properties such as plentiful active sites, the high theoretical capacity and diverse reaction mechanisms. Herein, the optimal condition for fabricating SnO₂-carbon nanotube (SnO₂/CNTs) nanohybrids using the atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition and thermal growth process has been described. As well as, the SnO₂ thin film was exposed to the functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (F-MWCNTs) via solution mixing for thermal growth process. The effect of essential parameters on optical and morphological properties of thin films was optimized. According to the results, the conditions in which the nanohybrid films had the best quality are as follows: 300 °C re-heating temperature, DMSO solvent, and 6 mg amount of FMWCNTs. Absorption and reflection modes of UV/Vis spectroscopy detected the peak changes of the fabricated films in each stage and confirmed their crystal structure. Furthermore, the crystal structure and atomic composition of the SnO₂-carbon nanotubes films were analyzed to assess surface properties of the thin films by scanning electron microscopy and by X-ray diffraction (EDX), respectively. This new synthetic method suggested a facile means to produce SnO₂/MWCNT thin films with the aim of using it to fabricate the gas sensors.