A simple doctor blade method of SnO2-NiO composite thin film on a ceramic tube substrate for methanol sensing

Efficient and accurate methanol detection is imperative due to its prevalence in industrial applications and the associated health risks. The proposed work is utilized the Doctor Blade Method (DBM) to produce a SnO2-NiO composite thin film on a ceramic tube substrate tailored for methanol sensing. The composite successfully combined SnO2's renowned gas-sensing attributes with NiO's catalytic capabilities. After annealing, the film demonstrated enhanced mechanical and electrical characteristics. Experimental results revealed an impressive sensitivity of 0.5 ppm towards methanol with a rapid response time of less than 10 seconds. The film showcased a remarkable selectivity coefficient of 0.95 when exposed to methanol in the presence of other volatile organic compounds. Additionally, long-term stability tests showed less than 5% degradation in sensitivity over 500 cycles of exposure. The highlight of the findings, the SnO2-NiO composite thin film, synthesized using the Doctor Blade Method, positions itself as a front-runner for industrial methanol sensing applications, with its high sensitivity, selectivity, and stability.