ZnO nanosheets doped with yttrium（Y） were synthesized via a solution combustion method using zinc nitrate and tartaric acid as raw materials.The scanning electron microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction were used to characterize ZnO nanosheets and the gas sensing properties of them were investigated.The results show that the as-synthesized ZnO nanosheets with diameters of20-100 nm have a wurtzite structure with rough surface.The sensor made from the 2%Y-doped ZnO nanosheets exhibits a stronger response toward 100x10-6（volume fraction） ethanol,its sensitivity at 300℃ is 17.50,and its optimal operating temperature（300℃）is lower than that of the pure ZnO（330℃）.The obvious sensitivity（about 2.5） can be observed at the volume fraction of ethanol as low as 5×10-（-6）,while its the response time is only 2s at 300℃.Moreover,the Y-doped ZnO sensor has a better selectivity to ethanol than other gases.
