Tailoring the gas sensing parameters of pure ZnO sensor with addition of Ni

Abstract

Methane (CH4) is a widely used gas in daily life for domestic and industrial purposes, but its inherent danger stems from a low explosive limit of 4.9 %. Without knowledge of its concentration, working with methane in confined spaces is dangerous. However, creating a methane sensor with a low detection limit is challenging due to its tetrahedral structure and limited chemical reactivity. To address this, we have synthesized pure and Ni-doped ZnO sensors using co-precipitation. These sensors are energy-efficient, operating within a voltage range of −5V to 5 V, with a rapid 16-second response time that demonstrated a maximum 39 % response for CH4. Our study introduces efficient methane sensors with significant potential in sensing technology, primed for future optimization.