Ammonia gas sensing performance of nickel ferrite nanoparticles

Abstract

Single phase nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) nanoparticles were prepared by the auto-combustion method using metal nitrate as precursor. Phase and purity of the nickel ferrite nanoparticles (NF NPs) were confirmed by using x-ray diffraction (XRD). The crystallite size of nickel ferrite nanoparticles was calculated 17 nm. Using Field Emission Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) and Higher Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM), morphology of the as-synthesized nickel ferrite nanoparticles particles were observed to be spherical shaped. The band gap of the nickel ferrite nanoparticles was calculated to be 1.55 eV by using UV– Vis spectroscopy. In Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra, the presence of band at 412 cm−1 and 612 cm−1 were confirmed the formation of metal-oxygen (M-O) bond. Further, nickel ferrite nanoparticles have been explored for ammonia gas sensing application. The response was observed to be 10% for 100 ppm of ammonia gas at temperature 250 °C. The response time and recovery time of nickel ferrite nanoparticles based sensor were calculated to be 100 s and 119 s respectively for 400 ppm of ammonia gas. The developed gas sensor was exhibit with excellent repeatability and stability behaviour.