A highly efficient acetone gas sensor based on 2D porous ZnFe2O4 nanosheets

Abstract

In this study, 2D porous ZnFe2O4 nanosheets (ZnFe2O4 NSs) were fabricated for use as sensing materials using a 3-stage process involving soaking, freeze-drying, and calcination steps. The ZnFe2O4 NS-based sensor produced exhibited satisfactory sensing performance and selectively for acetone and achieved a response value of 64.9 at 50 ppm and response/recovery times of 23 and 9 s at operating temperature, which was far better than the performances of ZnO NSs and Fe2O3 NSs (controls) produced using the same method. The excellent sensing properties of ZnFe2O4 NSs were attributed to greater porosity, larger pore sizes, and higher proportions of oxygen-deficient and chemisorbed oxygen species. The study shows that the ZnFe2O4 NS-based sensing material produced for the detection of VOCs, especially acetone, shows considerable promise.