Au and NiO nanocrystals doped into porous sol-gel SiO(2) films and the effect on optical CO detection.

Thin-film composites comprised of NiO and NiO/Au nanoparticles in a porous SiO(2) matrix have been prepared using the sol-gel technique. When at elevated temperatures (200 °C< T<350 °C) and exposed to carbon monoxide, the films undergo reversible changes in optical transmittance at wavelengths in the visible-near IR region. For NiO composite films heated at 330 °C and exposed to 1% CO in air, there is an increase in transmittance which approaches 2-4% over most of the visible range. For NiO/Au composite films the transmittance increase exhibits a wavelength dependence, with a maximum change which is close to 6% at λ≈630 nm and which is close to zero in the Au plasmon resonance range (λ≈550 nm).