Room temperature fiber optic gas sensor technology based Zn3(VO4)2/PMMA hybrid composites via facile hydrothermal route

Abstract

In this study, the authors present a simple hydrothermal method for obtaining Zn3(VO4)2 nanoparticles encapsulated in a polymethyl-metha-acrylate (PMMA) matrix. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and boron nitride zeta potential were used to determine the structural, topological, and porosity characteristics, respectively. The materials' gas-sensing properties were evaluated using a clad-modified optical fibre sensor. Ammonia, hydrogen sulphide, ethanol, and acetone were used to assess the detecting capabilities of the clad-modified sensing devices. Concentration ranges from 0 to 1000 ppm were tested at RT using both pure and Zn3(VO4)2/PMMA sensors. Zn3(VO4)2 nanopowder-modified fibre optic gas sensors show high sensitivity to ammonia gas at room temperature. The results show that nanocrystalline Zn3(VO4)2/PMMA has the fastest response time (22.4 min) and the longest recovery time (31.5 min) to ammonia (127 counts/Kpa). These results show that the Zn3(VO4)2/PMMA-based clad-removed sensors produced in this study are a highly efficient, potential choice for real-world ammonia sensing.