Synthesis and acetone sensing properties of ZnFe2O4/rGO gas sensors

Abstract

Hollow spheres of pure ZnFe2O4 and of composites of ZnFe2O4 and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) with different rGO content were prepared via a simple solvothermal method followed by a high-temperature annealing process in an inert atmosphere. The X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that the introduction of rGO had no effect on the spinel structure of ZnFe2O4. In addition, the results of field-emission scanning electron microscopy and (high-resolution) transmission electron microscopy indicated that the synthesized samples had the structure of hollow spheres distributed uniformly onto rGO nanosheets. The diameters of the spheres were determined as about 600–1000 nm. The gas sensing test revealed that the introduction of rGO improved the performance of the sensing of acetone to low concentration, and the ZnFe2O4/rGO composite gas sensor containing 0.5 wt % of rGO exhibited a high sensitivity in sensing test using 0.8–100 ppm acetone at 200 °C. The response of the 0.5 wt % ZnFe2O4/rGO sensor to 0.8 ppm acetone was 1.50, and its response to 10 ppm acetone was 8.18, which is around 2.6 times more pronounced than the response of pure ZnFe2O4 (10 ppm, 3.20). Moreover, the sensor showed a wide linear range and good selectivity.