ZnO nanosheets doped with yttrium（Y） were synthesized via a solution combustion method using zinc nitrate and tartaric acid as raw materials.The scanning electron microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction were used to characterize ZnO nanosheets and the gas sensing properties of them were investigated.The results show that the as-synthesized ZnO nanosheets with diameters of20-100 nm have a wurtzite structure with rough surface.The sensor made from the 2%Y-doped ZnO nanosheets exhibits a stronger response toward 100x10-6（volume fraction） ethanol,its sensitivity at 300℃ is 17.50,and its optimal operating temperature（300℃）is lower than that of the pure ZnO（330℃）.The obvious sensitivity（about 2.5） can be observed at the volume fraction of ethanol as low as 5×10-（-6）,while its the response time is only 2s at 300℃.Moreover,the Y-doped ZnO sensor has a better selectivity to ethanol than other gases.
Petal-like ZnO nanosheets were synthesized with zinc nitrate hexahydrate and sodium hydroxide as starting materials in ammonia and ethanol mixture solution. RuO2 modified ZnO nanosheets were also prepared by a calcination route. The as-prepared products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscopy, and its specific BET surface area was calculated by nitrogen adsorption method. The sensitivity, response and recovery speed were examined. The results show that RuO2 modified petal-like ZnO based sensor exhibits a high sensitivity, a low detection limit, fast response and recovery properties to ethanol and acetone. The sensitivities of the RuO2 modified petal-like ZnO based sensor to 100×10^-6 ethanol and acetone at 360 °C are 33 and 67, respectively. The response and recovery times of the sensor are 4 s and 9 s to 10×10^-6 ethanol, and are 3 s and 10 s to 10×10^-6 acetone, respectively.
