Alternative Sol-Gel Routes for Synthesizing Gas Sensing Nanostructured Materials

Alternative sol-gel techniques, investigated in our laboratory with the aim to obtain nanostructured metal oxides powders with enhanced gas sensing properties, are reviewed. The synthesis of pure and doped In2O 3 by a non aqueous sol-gel method and TiO2 by reactive microemulsion and gel-combustion, are described in detail. The morphological and microstructural characteristics are also described and related to the gas sensing characteristics of the synthesized nanopowders.