Biomass‐Derived Carbon‐Supported‐SnS Nanostructures for 1‐Pentanol Sensing

ABSTRACT The production of sugar and alcohol generates substantial amounts of sugarcane bagasse, which is commonly burned, necessitating the development of new technological applications to utilize this waste. Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) generates a carbon‐dominant material that exhibits potential to support metals and semi‐metals; however, its applications in volatile organic compound (VOC) detection are underexplored. This study describes the synthesis of sulfur‐rich hydrochar by HTC utilizing sugarcane bagasse with sulfuric acid, followed by the production of carbon‐supported SnS, which presented an orthorhombic structure phase, well‐defined particle sizes, and good crystallinity. This material exhibited enhanced detection performance toward 1‐pentanol at 300°C and a fast response time of 8.3 s. The sensor showed a 39.5% reduction in response under high humidity, while maintaining good repeatability over 16 cycles, with an average response of 6.83 ± 0.23 during the stability tests. The synthesized carbon‐supported SnS obtained from sugarcane bagasse and application as a VOC sensor demonstrates biomass valorization, gas sensors, hydrothermal carbonization, pyrolysis, sulfides an innovative use for this class of materials.