Ultra-sensitive UV and H2S dual functional sensors based on porous In2O3 nanoparticles operated at room temperature

A dual functional sensor for detecting both UV light and H2S gas was fabricated using the hexagonal phase porous In2O3 nanoparticles, which were prepared using the hydrothermal and calcination process. The porous In2O3 nanoparticles with large surface areas and pore volumes could provide plenty of active sites to produce much active oxygen species, which were beneficial for the UV light and H2S gas sensing reactions, thus resulting in a good sensing performance. At room temperature, the dual functional sensor based on porous In2O3 nanoparticles exhibited ultra-high responses for sensing both UV light (with a wavelength of 365 nm) and H2S gas. As a UV sensor, its response was 12886.0 for a UV power intensity of 1.287 mW/cm2 and its detection limit was 0.013 mW/cm2. As a H2S gas sensor, the sensor exhibited an ultra-high response (26268.5–1 ppm H2S) and a very low detection limit (1 ppb of H2S), and it also have excellent selectivity, reversibility and stability