Synthesis and Characterization of Tin Oxide Nanopowder and Its Application to Sensing Different Pathogens

Abstract

In this paper, we discuss the processing, fabrication, and characterization of tin oxide (SnO2)-based sensors for the detection of different pathogens. The sensing properties of SnO2 coatings sintered at three different temperatures (600, 700, and 800 °C) were demonstrated by impedance microbiology. Sensors for the detection of Candida albicans and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were manufactured in the form of an interdigitated capacitor (IDC) structure. Electrochemical analysis revealed a change in impedance and a shift in self-resonant frequency (SRF) when the sensor was exposed to bacteria or yeast/fungi media. Structural and morphological characterizations of the nanostructured sensing films were carried out by various analytical techniques including X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy. The obtained results are promising for the fabrication of robust, cost-effective, and nontoxic SnO2-based sensors for detecting various pathogens.