Gas-sensitive photoconductivity of porphyrin-functionalized ZnO nanorods

Hybrid materials based on wide band gap semiconductors and dye molecules are intensively studied for photovoltaic applications. However, these materials also possess interesting gas sensitivities, besides these photonic effects. In this Article, we report the study, under visible light illumination, of the porphyrin-functionalized ZnO nanorod photoconductivity changes, modulated by exposure to two volatile organic compounds, ethanol and triethylamine, chosen as model analytes. The sensitivity to triethylamine exceeds that to ethanol by more than two orders of magnitude, showing a selectivity that is not found in other porphyrin-based gas sensors. This feature could open the way to a novel generation of sensors, where photoactivation plays a role in determining both sensitivity and selectivity of the resulting device. © 2012 American Chemical Society.