Semiconductor-Type Gas Sensors Based on γ-Fe2O3 Nanoparticles and Its Derivatives in Conjunction with SnO2 and Graphene

Abstract

The gas sensitivity of semiconductor metal oxides, such as γ-Fe2O3 and SnO2, is investigated together with the synergistic effects in conjunction with grapheme. Nanoparticles of γ-Fe2O3, γ-Fe2O3/SnO2, and γ-Fe2O3/SnO2/RGO, prepared by two-step fabrication, were assembled in gas-sensing devices to assess their sensitivities; response and recovery times for the detection of ethanol, methanol, isopropanol, formaldehyde, H2S, CO, and NO gases at different temperatures but constant concentrations of 100 particles per million (ppm); and H2S, which underwent the dynamic gas sensitivity test in different concentrations. Each sample’s crystallinity and microscopic morphology was investigated with X-ray diffraction and a scanning electron microscope. In comparative gas sensitivity measurements, the ternary composite of γ-Fe2O3/SnO2/RGO was identified as an ideal candidate, as it responds to all four tested liquids in the gas phase as well as H2S with a response value equal to 162.6. Further, only the ternary composite γ-Fe2O3/SnO2/RGO hybrid nanoparticles responded to NO gas with a sensor response value equal to 4.09 in 12 s. However, only the binary composite γ-Fe2O3/SnO2 responded to CO with a corresponding sensitivity of 1.59 units in 7 s.