Metal nanoparticle-decorated nanotubes for gas sensing

A method of producing metal nanoparticle-decorated carbon nanotubes, the method comprising:

• forming polymer-coated metal nanoparticles by dispersing a polymer and a salt precursor of a metal into a solvent, reducing the metal salt precursor of the metal with a reducing reagent.
• forming a reaction mixture by combining a first solution with a second solution, wherein the first solution comprises polymer-coated metal nanoparticles comprising metallic nanoparticles coated with a polymer, and wherein the second solution comprises carbon nanotubes;
• and
• heating the reaction mixture to a temperature greater than a glass transition temperature of the polymer for a time sufficient to cause the polymer-coated metal nanoparticles to bind to the carbon nanotubes forming the metal nanoparticle-decorated carbon nanotubes.

A method of producing metal alloy nanoparticle-decorated carbon nanotubes, the method comprising:

• forming polymer-coated metal nanoparticles by dispersing a polymer and a mixture of two or more salt precursors of metals into a solvent, reducing the mixture of metal salt precursors with a reducing reagent forming polymer coated alloy metal nanoparticles containing two or more metals
• forming a reaction mixture by combining a first solution with a second solution, wherein the first solution comprises polymer-coated metal nanoparticles comprising metallic nanoparticles coated with a polymer, and wherein the second solution comprises carbon nanotubes;
• and
• heating the reaction mixture to a temperature greater than a glass transition temperature of the polymer for a time sufficient to cause the polymer-coated metal nanoparticles to bind to the carbon nanotubes forming the metal nanoparticle-decorated carbon nanotubes.