A sensitive thick film as a candidate for ethanol gas sensor from Jarosite-based minerals

Abstract

We report this study that aims to know thick film sensitivity to ethanol gas. The thick film was fabricated from local mineral, is Jarosite as a source of iron oxide, and mixed with zinc oxide and Mangan oxide. The semiconductor mixture powder was synthesized by the sol-gel method, whereas the film was fabricated by a screen printing method. The film sensitivity was known with a gas sensing performance analyzer. An ethanol gas was adsorbed well by a thick film with different electrical resistance values. Due to the difference in the electrical resistance value, the thick film exhibited good sensitivity performance. The highest sensitivity was achieved approximately 91.7% of 4 gas concentration level of ethanol. Besides, the morphology of the thick film was examined by SEM that showed a pyramid-like form with a little impurity around them. The pyramid-like form looks like a spinel structure with a complex spinel-type where this structure is very well utilized for gas sensor device applications. Furthermore, these characteristics of the thick film indicated an opportunity that it can be a candidate for an ethanol gas sensor device.