SnO2 is an important semiconductor sensor material with a wide band gap, which is Eg = 3.6 eV at room temperature. Because nanomaterials have the characteristics of small particle size and large specific surface, the gas-sensing properties of the materials can be greatly improved. The gas sensor prepared with it has high sensitivity and is widely used in the detection and forecasting of various combustible gases, environmental pollution gases, industrial waste gas and harmful gases, such as CO, H2S, NOx, H2, CH4, etc.
The humidity sensor prepared with SnO2 as the base material has applications in improving the indoor environment, precision instrument equipment rooms, libraries, art galleries, museums and so on. By doping-quantitative Co0, Co2O3, Cr2O3, Nb2O5, Ta2O5, etc. in SnO2, varistors with different resistance values can be made, which are widely used in power systems, electronic circuits, and household appliances.