aThis paper reports on a new ozone gas sensor based on a-Ag 2 WO 4 nanorod-like structures. Electrical resistance measurements proved the efficiency of a-Ag 2 WO 4 nanorods, which rendered good sensitivity even for a low ozone concentration (80 ppb), a fast response and a short recovery time at 300 C, demonstrating great potential for a variety of applications.Metal semiconducting oxides have drawn the interest of many researchers due to their wide range of applications, especially as gas sensing materials. 1-5 Among them, one-dimensional (1-D) semiconductor nanostructures have been proposed as very interesting materials, especially as gas sensor devices.6-12 It is well known that several technological applications of nanostructured materials are directly related to the morphology, particle size, crystalline phase and activity of specic crystalline planes strictly dependent on synthesis methods. 4,[13][14][15] In particular, the relationship between morphology and gas sensing properties has been well established.
4,16,17Tungsten-based oxides are an important class of materials that display wide potential functional properties, 18-20 speci-cally the silver tungstate (Ag 2 WO 4 ) compound, which can exhibit three different structures: a-orthorhombic, b-hexagonal, and g-cubic.21-25 Recently, our research group reported a detailed study of the synthesis, structural and optical properties of hexagonal nanorod-like elongated a-Ag 2 WO 4 nanocrystals obtained by different methods.
26-28Ozone (O 3 ) is an oxidizing gas used in many technological applications in different areas, such as the food industry, drinking-water treatment, medicine, microelectronic cleaning processes, and others.29,34-39 For example, ozone has been employed as a powerful drinking-water disinfectant and oxidant. 34,35,40 On the other hand, when the ozone level in an atmosphere exceeds a certain threshold value, the exposure to this gas becomes hazardous to human health and can cause serious health problems (e.g. headache, burning eyes, respiratory irritation and lung damage).34,41 The European Guidelines (2002/3/EG) recommend avoiding exposure to ozone levels above 120 ppb.41 Such arguments support the requirement for the determination and continuous monitoring of ozone levels.
3,29,41Gas sensing properties are evaluated in terms of operating temperature, sensitivity, response time, recovery time and stability.29-33 SnO 2 , In 2 O 3 and WO 3 compounds have been considered the most promising ozone gas sensors.
29-33To the best of our knowledge, to date the gas sensing properties of a-Ag 2 WO 4 nanocrystals have never been evaluated.Here, we report the sensing properties of 1-D a-Ag 2 WO 4 nanorod-like structures obtained by the microwave-assisted hydrothermal (MAH) method.42-46 Because of such properties, nanorods are potential candidates for practical applications as ozone gas sensors.The crystalline phase of the as-obtained a-Ag 2 WO 4 sample was analyzed by X-ray diffraction measurement and all reec-tions were indexed to an orthorhombic struc...
