The key point in obtaining a selective and highly sensitive gas sensor is a detailed study of the «gas-solid» interaction mechanism in situ or in operando mode. The aim of this project is to study in detail the sensory properties of In2O3 to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy measurements in dry and humid air. This method allows obtaining information about the chemical and structural composition of intermediate particles during the redox reaction on the surface of a gas sensor or all other types of solid surfaces in operando mode. In order to get a complete picture of the In2O3 sensory response mechanism, it is planned to carry out density functional theory (DFT) calculations. It is expected that the application of the operando DRIFTs spectroscopy method in combination with DFT calculations will significantly supplement the knowledge about the sensory properties of nanocrystalline In2O3 to VOCs.
- Philipp Schwartz Scholarship from the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung