Effect of PEG-400 on the ZnO morphology activated by gamma rays in the realization of gas sensors

Abstract

This work focuses on the preparation of ZnO nanostructures using a PEG-4000 catalyst. Zinc acetate is precipitated to form zinc hydroxide, which is then subjected to various analysis techniques including FTIR transmission spectra, SEM, UVvisible spectrophotometry, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to study the morphological and structural properties of ZnO. The samples are exposed to different doses of radiation from a 60Co gamma source, ranging from 50 to 600 kGy. Thermal analysis (TGA and DSC) confirms the thermal stability of the ZnO nanostructures. Electrical characteristics are evaluated through AC impedance measurements, which reveal that the amount of charge carriers in ZnO films increases linearly with gamma radiation. The study also investigates the potential use of irradiated nanorod and spherical ZnO samples for the detection of butane gas. At a radiation dosage of 150 kGy, the gamma-ray-irradiated sensors exhibit increased butane responses of 66.73% and 69% for nanorod and spherical samples, respectively. The findings suggest that gamma irradiation can effectively modify materials and enhance their gas sensing properties.