Highly selective ammonia detection by SnS2 nanosheets functionalized Ti3C2Tx

Lizhai Zhang; Jiayuan Xu; Xinyu Lei; Henghui Sun; Taotao Ai; Fei Ma; Paul K. Chu

doi:10.1016/j.apsusc.2025.164190

Highly selective ammonia detection by SnS₂ nanosheets functionalized Ti₃C₂T_x

Lizhai Zhang
, Jiayuan Xu
, Xinyu Lei
, Henghui Sun
, Taotao Ai
, Fei Ma
, Paul K. Chu

School of Materials Science and Engineering

Shaanxi University of Technology
Xi'an Jiaotong University
City University of Hong Kong
Shaanxi Normal University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

SnS₂ is very promising for next-generation gas sensors due to the abundant edge-exposed sites, large surface-to-volume ratio, and high charge carrier mobility. However, SnS₂ suffers from low response and poor selectivity in gas sensing. In this paper, the self-activated SnS₂ gas sensor functionalized with Ti₃C₂T_x is designed and fabricated to monitor NH₃ at room temperature (RT) in daily life. The response of SnS₂ and Ti₃C₂T_x composites to 500 ppm NH₃ is about 86.35 % at RT, which is enhanced by 43.82 % and 38.33 % in comparison with pure SnS₂ and Ti₃C₂T_x, respectively. The SnS₂-functionalized Ti₃C₂T_x micropatterns show high selectivity to NH₃ and a low detection limit of 143 ppt. Density-functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the SnS₂/Ti₃C₂T_x heterojunction provide the additional active sites for NH₃ adsorption, enhancing the absorption and diffusion capabilities of NH₃. In addition, the remarkable metallic conductivity of Ti₃C₂T_x MXene ensures efficient electron transfer to improve the sensing characteristics.

Original language	English
Article number	164190
Journal	Applied Surface Science
Volume	712
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2025.164190
State	Published - 7 Dec 2025

Keywords

Heterojunction
NH detection
Selectivity
SnS
TiCT MXene

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@article{b88366c24efd4831807bd58ec62a5fe4,

title = "Highly selective ammonia detection by SnS2 nanosheets functionalized Ti3C2Tx",

abstract = "SnS2 is very promising for next-generation gas sensors due to the abundant edge-exposed sites, large surface-to-volume ratio, and high charge carrier mobility. However, SnS2 suffers from low response and poor selectivity in gas sensing. In this paper, the self-activated SnS2 gas sensor functionalized with Ti3C2Tx is designed and fabricated to monitor NH3 at room temperature (RT) in daily life. The response of SnS2 and Ti3C2Tx composites to 500 ppm NH3 is about 86.35 \% at RT, which is enhanced by 43.82 \% and 38.33 \% in comparison with pure SnS2 and Ti3C2Tx, respectively. The SnS2-functionalized Ti3C2Tx micropatterns show high selectivity to NH3 and a low detection limit of 143 ppt. Density-functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the SnS2/Ti3C2Tx heterojunction provide the additional active sites for NH3 adsorption, enhancing the absorption and diffusion capabilities of NH3. In addition, the remarkable metallic conductivity of Ti3C2Tx MXene ensures efficient electron transfer to improve the sensing characteristics.",

keywords = "Heterojunction, NH detection, Selectivity, SnS, TiCT MXene",

author = "Lizhai Zhang and Jiayuan Xu and Xinyu Lei and Henghui Sun and Taotao Ai and Fei Ma and Chu, \{Paul K.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 Elsevier B.V.",

year = "2025",

month = dec,

day = "7",

doi = "10.1016/j.apsusc.2025.164190",

language = "英语",

volume = "712",

journal = "Applied Surface Science",

issn = "0169-4332",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Highly selective ammonia detection by SnS2 nanosheets functionalized Ti3C2Tx

AU - Zhang, Lizhai

AU - Xu, Jiayuan

AU - Lei, Xinyu

AU - Sun, Henghui

AU - Ai, Taotao

AU - Ma, Fei

AU - Chu, Paul K.

PY - 2025/12/7

Y1 - 2025/12/7

N2 - SnS2 is very promising for next-generation gas sensors due to the abundant edge-exposed sites, large surface-to-volume ratio, and high charge carrier mobility. However, SnS2 suffers from low response and poor selectivity in gas sensing. In this paper, the self-activated SnS2 gas sensor functionalized with Ti3C2Tx is designed and fabricated to monitor NH3 at room temperature (RT) in daily life. The response of SnS2 and Ti3C2Tx composites to 500 ppm NH3 is about 86.35 % at RT, which is enhanced by 43.82 % and 38.33 % in comparison with pure SnS2 and Ti3C2Tx, respectively. The SnS2-functionalized Ti3C2Tx micropatterns show high selectivity to NH3 and a low detection limit of 143 ppt. Density-functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the SnS2/Ti3C2Tx heterojunction provide the additional active sites for NH3 adsorption, enhancing the absorption and diffusion capabilities of NH3. In addition, the remarkable metallic conductivity of Ti3C2Tx MXene ensures efficient electron transfer to improve the sensing characteristics.

AB - SnS2 is very promising for next-generation gas sensors due to the abundant edge-exposed sites, large surface-to-volume ratio, and high charge carrier mobility. However, SnS2 suffers from low response and poor selectivity in gas sensing. In this paper, the self-activated SnS2 gas sensor functionalized with Ti3C2Tx is designed and fabricated to monitor NH3 at room temperature (RT) in daily life. The response of SnS2 and Ti3C2Tx composites to 500 ppm NH3 is about 86.35 % at RT, which is enhanced by 43.82 % and 38.33 % in comparison with pure SnS2 and Ti3C2Tx, respectively. The SnS2-functionalized Ti3C2Tx micropatterns show high selectivity to NH3 and a low detection limit of 143 ppt. Density-functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the SnS2/Ti3C2Tx heterojunction provide the additional active sites for NH3 adsorption, enhancing the absorption and diffusion capabilities of NH3. In addition, the remarkable metallic conductivity of Ti3C2Tx MXene ensures efficient electron transfer to improve the sensing characteristics.

KW - Heterojunction

KW - NH detection

KW - Selectivity

KW - SnS

KW - TiCT MXene

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105011988207

U2 - 10.1016/j.apsusc.2025.164190

DO - 10.1016/j.apsusc.2025.164190

M3 - 文章

AN - SCOPUS:105011988207

SN - 0169-4332

VL - 712

JO - Applied Surface Science

JF - Applied Surface Science

M1 - 164190

ER -

Highly selective ammonia detection by SnS₂ nanosheets functionalized Ti₃C₂T_x

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Keywords

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