The surface chemistry, including C contamination, of the SnO2 nanowires was evidently changed after subsequent TPD process, as shown in the corresponding XPS survey spectrum (Figure 1, higher line). Firstly, the relative [O]/[Sn] concentration increased, reaching a value of 1.75 ± 0.05, corresponding to the improvement of their stoichiometry.

Moreover, there is no evident contribution from the XPS C1s, which means that, during the TPD process, the undesired #Cell Cycle inhibitor randurls[1|1|,|CHEM1|]# C contaminations from the air atmosphere, found on the surface of SnO2 nanowires, were removed. This corresponds to the almost complete vanishing of XPS C1s peak shown in Figure 2 (higher spectrum). These last observations, i.e. that C contamination from the surface of SnO2 nanowires can be easily removed by the vacuum thermal treatment, are of great importance for their potential application as gas sensors material. This point will be more precisely addressed later on. Moreover, Eltanexor supplier it should be pointed out that after the TPD process there is no contribution of XPS Ag3d, which means that, similarly to untreated SnO2 nanowires, Ag is not observed at the surface of SnO2 nanowires even after TPD process. Ag catalyst probably remains on the silicon substrate. It surely plays a significant role in inducing the nucleation of

the nanowires on the substrates, however it may not have some significant effects on the sensing performances of tin dioxide nanowires. This is the main reason of our choice to use Ag as catalyst instead of Au nanoparticles.

It has been demonstrated that SnO2 nanowires have a Au nanoparticle on the tip [20]. This could affect the sensing performances of devices fabricated using tin dioxide nanowires as sensing elements. We use Ag as growth catalyst to prevent possible catalytic effects of the metal particle during the gas sensing measurements. All obtained information on the evolution of SnO2 nanowires surface chemistry before and after TPD process are in a good correlation with Ponatinib the respective TDS spectra shown in Figure 3. The registered TDS spectra have been corrected by the ionization probability of respected gases detected in our experiments. Figure 3 TDS spectra of main residual gases desorbed from the SnO 2 nanowires exposed to air. From the TDS spectra shown in Figure 3 one can easily note that only small amount of the molecular oxygen (O2) desorbs from the SnO2 nanowires already at the relative partial pressure of about 10-9 mbar at 170°C approximately. The molecular hydrogen (H2) was desorbed during TPD process with highest relative partial pressure of about 10-7 mbar with a maximum at higher temperatures (approximately 260°C). These last observations are probably related to the high degree of crystallinity of SnO2 nanowires [21]. The molecular hydrogen seems not able to penetrate deeply the subsurface space. This experimental evidence has never been reported to the best of our knowledge.