Long-term Stability Research Articles

Digital light processing printing of porous ceramics using interparticle photo-cross-linkable Pickering emulsions

Digital light processing (DLP) printing using photo-curable Pickering emulsion is a promising route to fabricate porous ceramics having on-demand structures. However, the long duration for debinding/sintering due to the large organic contents remained in the photo-cured bodies and the insufficient long-term stability of the emulsions needs to be solved toward efficient manufacturing. Herein, a new interparticle photo-cross-linkable Pickering emulsion having improved stability, which can be photo-cured using reduced amounts of monomers, were designed for the rapid production of porous ceramics using DLP printing. The Pickering emulsion was obtained by mixing isopropyl myristate into a dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) aqueous suspension of SiO2 particles with pre-dissolved polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) and a photo-radical initiator. Further, functionalized polyethyleneimine (PEI) was designed to ensure the dispersion of SiO2 particles and formation of a Pickering emulsion. The photo-irradiation of the designed Pickering emulsion resulted in the successful photo-curing by the radical polymerization of PEGDA, followed by a Michael addition reaction between the reactive amine of PEI and acryloyl groups of PEGDA. The improved stability of the emulsion over time and reduced amounts of monomer facilitated the application of the designed emulsion to DLP printing, followed by a rapid firing process without any structural collapse.

Prussian blue analogue-derived Co-Ni5P4 porous nanosheet arrays composite coal-based carbon nanofibers as efficient self-supported electrocatalyst for overall water splitting

The development of economical, earth-rich, and high-performance transition metal phosphides electrocatalysts is crucial for water splitting. Herein, the NiCo PBA/Ni(OH)2 hierarchical nanostructure arrays are in situ grown on the coal-based carbon nanofibers (C-CNFs) using hydrothermal and co-precipitation methods. Subsequently, the Co-doped Ni5P4 porous nanosheet arrays composite coal-based carbon nanofibers electrocatalyst (Co-Ni5P4@C-CNFs) is obtained through low-temperature phosphorization process. Benefiting from cation-doped, porous nanosheet arrays structure and self-supported conductive substrates, the Co-Ni5P4@C-CNFs has excellent electrocatalytic performance for overall water splitting. It provides low overpotentials of 75 mV for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and 231 mV for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) to achieve the current density of 10 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH electrolyte. Furthermore, the Co-Ni5P4@C-CNFs demonstrates a low overall water splitting cell voltage of 1.537 V at current density of 10 mA cm−2 and remarkable long-term stability for over 160 h. It outperforms the most transition metal phosphide bifunctional electrocatalysts reported to date. This research provides a novel strategy for synthesizing high-performance transition metal phosphides bifunctional electrocatalysts.

Advancements in Polymer-Assisted Layer-by-Layer Fabrication of Wearable Sensors for Health Monitoring.

Recent advancements in polymer-assisted layer-by-layer (LbL) fabrication have revolutionized the development of wearable sensors for health monitoring. LbL self-assembly has emerged as a powerful and versatile technique for creating conformal, flexible, and multi-functional films on various substrates, making it particularly suitable for fabricating wearable sensors. The incorporation of polymers, both natural and synthetic, has played a crucial role in enhancing the performance, stability, and biocompatibility of these sensors. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the principles of LbL self-assembly, the role of polymers in sensor fabrication, and the various types of LbL-fabricated wearable sensors for physical, chemical, and biological sensing. The applications of these sensors in continuous health monitoring, disease diagnosis, and management are discussed in detail, highlighting their potential to revolutionize personalized healthcare. Despite significant progress, challenges related to long-term stability, biocompatibility, data acquisition, and large-scale manufacturing are still to be addressed, providing insights into future research directions. With continued advancements in polymer-assisted LbL fabrication and related fields, wearable sensors are poised to improve the quality of life for individuals worldwide.

Enhanced Thermal Stability and Power Factor in Layered Bi2Se0.5Te2.5 Thin Films Across a Broad Temperature Range

Bi2Te3-based n-type thin films with high thermoelectric performances are typically synthesised through the formation of dense structures, a process conventionally conducted at high temperatures. However, this method compromises thermal stability. In this study, structural design and multiple-step annealing were employed to enhance the thermal stability of high-performance Bi2Se0.5Te2.5 thin films. Post-annealing, the disparity in the values of the Seebeck coefficient over the entire test temperature range, was reduced to 20 μV K−1, which is approximately 32% compared to pre-annealing measurements. The layered Bi2Se0.5Te2.5 thin film demonstrated an elevated power factor (28 × 10−4 W m−1 K−2), which was maintained across a broad temperature spectrum. This multiple-step annealing approach not only refines the structural integrity by extending the atomic diffusion duration but also mitigates defects and augments compositional uniformity at reduced temperatures. Consequently, layered Bi2Se0.5Te2.5 films emerge as promising candidates for thermoelectric materials, offering enhanced long-term stability for diverse applications, including electric and hybrid electric vehicles, and portable electronic devices.

A memory-dependent three-dimensional creep model for concrete

The study of creep models for concrete is of great significance in analyzing and predicting the long-term stability of concrete structures. Based on the theory of memory-dependent derivatives, memory-dependent viscous dashpots that can describe the characteristics of decaying creep and accelerating creep are constructed based on the varying characteristics of the creep process in different stages. The Kelvin body was replaced with a stable memory-dependent dashpot and the Newtonian dashpot in the visco-plastic body was transformed into an unstable memory-dependent dashpot by drawing on the component combination form of the Nishihara model. A three-dimensional concrete creep model based on memory-dependent derivatives was established. By adjusting the model parameters of stable and unstable memory-dependent viscous dashpots, the model can simulate the creep process of concrete with different decaying creep characteristics and accelerating creep characteristics, and it has good universality. Multiple sets of experimental data on concrete creep verify that the memory-dependent concrete creep model corresponds well to the experimental data. Compared with five other concrete creep models, this model has fewer parameters and higher fitting accuracy, especially in characterizing the accelerating creep characteristics of concrete.

Integration of Carbon-Based Nanomaterials for Hybrid Energy Storage in Lithium-Ion Batteries

Hybrid energy storage systems benefit significantly from incorporating nanoparticles containing metallic oxides, potassium phosphate, chemical compounds, and sulfides. The current technological problem is to increase the device’s electrical capacity without decreasing its energy capacity. The energy storage capacity of lithium-ion cells has been greatly improved by the use of tiny carbon particles owing to their conductive qualities, extensive specific surface area, customizable form, and intrinsic resilience. Further biologically active layouts, thinner ion-diffusion dimensions, and increased aboard carrier-/charge-transport motion are all made possible by incorporating effective bi-dimensional nanomaterials into future-oriented battery packs. For applications like lithium-ion batteries and electrochemical capacitors, this research presents carbon-based energy storage (CES) using a support vector machine (SVM) incorporating Particle Swarm Optimization (CES-SVM) to investigate the long-term stability of nanoparticle alloy forms of a specific shape and chemical makeup. This paper provides a potential improvement to the intermittent particle swarm optimization technique and its accompanying algorithmic architecture. Hybrid nanocomposites have been successfully synthesized, allowing the easy synthetic pathway and unique growth of nanostructuring technology to be used for electrodes with outstanding electrochemical effectiveness in conventional lithium-ion batteries. This paper shows how the cell’s conductivity, the electrode/electrolyte contact, and ion diffusion all affect impedance performance. Carbonaceous electrodes for lithium-ion battery systems, electrochemical storage units, and related combination devices are examined as a final area.

Fine-tuning nanoflower-like Fe/Co hybrids with high content oxyhydroxide accelerating oxygen evolution kinetics

Iron hydroxide (FeOOH) is a potential active component in iron-based electrocatalysts for water electrolysis. However, its catalytic performance is constrained by its slow oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics. Herein, we synthesized a nanoflower-like FeCo-hydro(oxy)oxides composite with tunable Fe/Co ratios (Fex-Coy) on nickel foam (NF) via a one-step electrodeposition technique. This method allows for precise control over the morphology and composition of the hybrid nanoflowers. The optimized Fe9-Co1 discloses favorable OER performance with a low overpotential of 222 mV at 50 mA cm−2 and demonstrates good stability exceeding 60 h at 10 mA cm−2. Further, an assembled Fe9-Co1(+) || Pt/C(−) dual-electrode configuration achieves a low cell voltage of 1.73 V at the current density of 100 mA cm−2 for water splitting, with long-term stability for 70 h and minimal degradation. Studies indicate that the distinctive nanoflower morphology of Fe9-Co1 enhances active site exposure, while both FeOOH and reconstructed CoOOH serve as catalytic centers, contributing to the observed OER performance. This work introduces a facile approach for synthesizing OER electrocatalysts, underscoring the role of the high-valence state of Fe/Co as active sites in the OER process.

High-performance separation for ultra-low concentration nanoparticles with mesoporous silica thin membrane

Mesoporous silica thin film membrane (MSTF) emerge as an ideal ultrafiltration membrane for the removal of nanoparticles ensuring the production of particle-free water. This is mainly ascribed to its uniform and narrow pore size distribution, having vertical nanochannels with low tortuosity, and being ultrathin which helps enhances its selectivity and permeability. In this study, we demonstrated the potential of MSTF overlayed on macroporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) support for separating gold nanoparticles even at a very low concentration. Moreover, with the addition of pore-expanding agents, E-MSTF⊥AAO (pore size 3.12 nm) and D-MSTF⊥AAO (pore size 5.26 nm) membranes are formed, and both membranes indeed showed high rejection efficiency towards 150 ppb gold nanoparticles of sizes 10 nm and 5 nm, ∼ 99 % and ∼96 %, respectively. It is also worth noting that as compared to the state-of-the-art conventional UF membranes, the E-MSTF⊥AAO membrane showed significantly high permeance of 114.1 ± 12.76 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 and 104.1 ± 50.6 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 while efficiently separating 150 ppb and 50 ppb 5 nm gold nanoparticles, respectively. Moreover, the promising long-term stability and chemical stability of the MSTF⊥AAO membrane paved a promising path for applying mesoporous silica membranes for effective nanoparticle separation in wastewater treatment and particle-free water production in industries.

Dense heterogeneous interfaces boost the electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction

Efficient and cost-effective catalysts are essential to drive the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in sustainable hydrogen production through water splitting. In this study, we introduce an innovative strategy aimed at constructing heterogeneous structure that form abundant Fe2O3/NiSe2 interfaces on the FeOOH surface. The resulting catalyst exhibits extraordinary performance with an excellently low overpotential of 169mV at 10mAcm−2. Notably, this catalyst also demonstrates impressive long-term stability in alkaline seawater. Compared to traditional heterogeneous catalysts with core-shell structures, Fe2O3/NiSe2 possesses a closely heterogeneous interface, which plays a role in modulating the interface electron. Supported by complementary spectroscopy and theoretical calculations, it has been further demonstrated that the distinctive Fe-O-Ni-Se structure can effectively modulate the electronic state of Ni, thereby enhancing the adsorption of oxygen-containing intermediates and facilitating oxygen desorption. Overall, this research presents a promising avenue for enhancing the electrocatalytic performance by amplifying active sites at interfaces.

A sensitive NH3 chemiresistive sensor with wide detection range: employing a MOF-derived mesoporous carbon composite with polyaniline

Designing sensing materials with effective porous structure and compositions is a crucial strategy for constructing high-performance gas-sensitive devices. Herein, a dodecahedral mesoporous carbon derived from metal-organic frameworks (CMOF), e.g. Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8) derived porous carbon (ZIF-8-C) was prepared, and subsequently, three-dimensional (3D) hollow dodecahedral ZIF-derived carbon-polyaniline (PANI) based (ZCPx, x representing the mass fraction of ZIF-derived carbon) hierarchical hybrid materials were constructed by introducing protonated polyaniline on the surface of MOF carbon via in-situ oxidative polymerization. The MOF-derived structure provides a substantial interface surface area for the hybrid material, enabling rapid adsorption and charge transfer, along with essential structural stability. The 3D hollow ZCP50 hybrid material prepared exhibits a wide detection range (0.1-500 ppm), repeatability, acceptable long-term stability, and an 8.3 times response enhancement versus PANI. The above performance is attributed to the significant synergistic effect between ZIF-8-C and PANI. The unique design of this 3D framework holds promising potential for the commercial application of room-temperature gas sensors.

Water effect on subcritical crack growth and fracture behavior of marble

Understanding the fracture properties and subcritical crack growth of rocks in aqueous environments is significant for the effective assessment of the long-term stability of the masonry buildings, cultural heritage structures, and art sculptures. We use double torsion techniques to systematically investigate the subcritical crack growth behavior of marble under air, fluid, saturated and saturated + fluid test conditions. In the fluid condition and the saturated + fluid condition, the load reductions during the relaxation test are larger than other conditions, reaching 12.81 % and 12.26, respectively. There is a water-weakening effect on both the subcritical crack growth index (SCI) and KIC, but the water weakening sensitivity in KIC is lower than that of SCI. Compared to that in the air condition, the SCI values of the marble decreased by 43.69 % under the fluid condition, 17.64 % under the saturated condition, and 38.09 % under the saturated + fluid condition, respectively. The introduction of water during the relaxation test results in an immediate increase in the crack velocity and the major principal strain of the specimen, as evidenced by the appearance of the Ⅳ region on the KI-V curve. Scanning electron microscope images show that the most triangular pits and dissolution pits are present in the marble under fluid and saturated + fluid conditions, leading to a more pronounced deterioration of the mechanical properties. The test results highlight the significant impact of water on subcritical crack growth in marble. In particular, during rainfall, both dry and saturated marble masonry buildings are more prone to cracking due to the introduction of water.

Research on fusion and deformation analysis of decade' HLS-II control network surveying data

To ensure the long-term stability of the beam and further construction needs, it is necessary to re-measure the particle accelerator regularly. Since 2013, we have been measuring the HLS-II control network with laser trackers and the level for 10 years. Taking HLS-II as the object of study, we introduced the data acquisition strategy for the period of 2013–2023. We analyzed the horizontal and vertical deformation trends of each control point. In the vertical direction, we fused the geometric level and elevation data of the laser tracker network by using MC-GMM (a Gauss-Markov model which considers the uncertainty of Monte Carlo simulation). The analysis results show that, after the HLS upgrade, the annual average settlement of the ground control network tends to be stable. The settlement and horizontal variation of the device are all within a reasonable and controllable range. To ensure stability, accuracy, and efficiency in the measurement, we recommend employing the laser tracker for the re-measurement of the HLS-II storage ring. The data processing flow and methods mentioned in the article can provide a reference for deformation analysis of the upcoming construction of the Hefei Advanced Light Facility (HALF) and other large-scale metrology projects.

Electrical energy efficiency of dye sensitized solar cells by polymer electrolyte

This research aims to prepare by mixtures method with dope carbon black as a working electrode and the apply it to the dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The thin film of titanium dioxide nanocrystalline semi - conductor with dope carbon black, the cells were coated on to transparent conducting oxide glass sheet by means of the doctor blade technique as a working electrode. But the polymer electrolyte were prepare by adding potassium iodide and iodine salts with a ratio of KI:I2 was 10:1, into a polymer electrolyte composed of poly-ethylene glycol, ethylene carbonate and poly(styrene–co–acrylonitrile). The polymer electrolyte mixtures became homogeneous and stirring at a temperature of 80 °C. Found that efficiency for the DSSCs by polymer electrolyte based on yielded an overall light to electrical energy conversion efficiency ( ) of the DSSCs was 5.5095%, An open-circuit voltage of 0.58 V, voltage at the point of maximum power output of 0.42 V, short-circuit current density of 11.11 mA.cm–2, current density at the point of maximum power output of 10.50 mA.cm–2 fill factor of 0.684 under an irradiation of 80 mW.cm–2. And the long-term stability test of the DSSCs with a polymer electrolyte is evidently superior to the DSSCs with liquid electrolyte based on the observation period lasting for 90 days. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT HIGHLIGHTS prepare by mixtures method with dope carbon black as a working electrode The efficiency for the DSSCs by polymer electrolyte based on yielded an overall light to electrical energy conversion

Vertically Aligned Pt/MXene/Carbon Nanotubes Aerogels for Superior Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Herein, we propose a one-step directional-freezing strategy to fabricate 3D vertically aligned aerogel (VA) of Ti3C2Tx MXene/carbon nanotubes (MC) decorated with small Pt species (denoted as Pt@MC-VA) as a self-standing electrode for robust electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at ampere-level current density. Numerous small Pt nanoclusters and single-atoms species are spontaneously reduced and anchored on the aerogel skeleton, revealing high intrinsic activity. The MXene nanosheets firmly fixed by carbon nanotubes cooperatively construct the porous frameworks, which greatly reinforces the overall mechanical strength and serves as high-speed path for electron transport. Moreover, the 3D self-supported and super-wettable frameworks with vertically aligned and run-through microchannels significantly facilitate the electrolyte infiltration and the immediate removal of gaseous products at high current densities. Based on these combined advantages, the Pt@MC-VA electrode exhibits a significantly improved electrocatalytic activity with overpotentials as low as 208 and 249 mV to reach high current densities up to 500 and 1000 mA cm-2, respectively, and a good long-term stability for at least 24 h at 500 mA cm-2.

Analysis of geothermal heat recovery from abandoned coal mine water for clean heating and cooling: a case from Shandong, China

Exploiting heat from abandoned mine water using heat pumps is attracting increasing attention worldwide. China has a large number of abandoned coal mines, but there are few applications of geothermal heat recovery from mine water. Here, we report a new case from Shandong, North China. Based on actual geological and underground space structures, numerical analysis is performed to study the flow and heat transfer in the complex connection network among roadways. For given temperature differences on the source side, the underground heat transfer is greatly influenced by flow rates in roadways. Under the acceptable performances and long-term stability of heat pumps, the maximum heat transfer capacity of roadways reaches 697.3 kW at the flow rate of 100 m3/h, with the power per unit length of 151.3 W/m, indicating a promising heat recovery potential. When switching between the extraction and injection well, both fluid directions and the distribution of flow rates in roadways change obviously, thereby affecting the underground heat transfer. Besides dominant flow paths, there exist weak flow paths, which can be identified by numerical analysis, and necessary blocking can be applied to optimize the flow and heat transfer. Excessively long horizontal straight roadways for heat exchange should be avoided.

Super-hydrophilic electrode encapsulated lead halide-perovskite photoanode toward stable and efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting

Lead halide perovskites with excellent optoelectronic properties have been recognized as one of the most promising photoelectrode materials for photoelectrochemical water splitting during the past decade. However, fabricating stable and efficient halide-perovskite photoanodes remains a considerable challenge due to the degradation of halide perovskites in electrolyte environment and the lack of effective encapsulating techniques. Herein, we report a unique halide-perovskite photoelectrochemical cell by using an inverted fluorine-doped tin oxide coated glass (FTO/glass) as the waterproof hole-transport layer for encapsulation, and inserting a two-dimensional (2D) perovskite layer for passivation. The halide-perovskite photoanode achieves high-efficiency oxygen evolution reaction, fast bubble releasing and an outstanding long-term stability of 30.9 h at 90 % of the initial photocurrent density (up to 16.55 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode) under solar illumination. Our unique and cost-effective encapsulation method could be a potential solution for realizing stable and efficient halide-perovskite photoelectrodes for solar-fuel energy conversion.

Catechin detection in tea samples based on catechin-induced conformational changes in papain

Catechin, the major ingredient in tea that affects its taste, varies based on the tea variety, climate, and extraction techniques. Although several techniques have been developed to determine catechin levels, an easy-to-use method is still lacking. Herein, the catechin levels were determined using papain for the first time. After incubating papain with catechin, the precipitate was discarded, and the remaining catechin-enzyme complex in the supernatant was determined by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy. Upon catechin binding papain’s main absorption band (at 280nm) was altered, reflecting conformation changes in their aromatic amino acids. It was supported by the kinetic measurements determined with N-α-benzoyl-arginine-p-nitroanilide (BAPNA) as a substrate. Complex formation between catechin and papain markedly affects the enzyme activity, resulting in the diminishes of the yellow-colored product observed at 410nm in a concentration-dependent manner. Under the optimum conditions, the analytical curve was linear in the concentration range 0.10 – 0.80mg/mL (r2 = 0.9893) with a detection limit of 0.44mg/mL. This developed biosensor demonstrated long-term stability (90 days) and reproducibility with a relative standard deviation below 10%. This usefulness of papain’s conformation changes was further demonstrated in the analysis of tea infusion samples, and the recoveries are in the acceptable range (79.1-81.2%).

Physiochemical characterization of Glycyrrhiza mediated bioengineered palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs), their anti-proliferative and other biomedical applications

The study used licorice root leaf extract to synthesize palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) that demonstrate long-term stability, lower toxicity, and enhanced penetration into specific target cells. The optimal conditions (temperature, pH, and time) were maintained to synthesize regular, spherical, and homogenous nanoparticles. The PdNPs were characterized by Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, UV–Visible spectroscopy, High-resolution Transmission electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, Particle-Size Distribution, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Zeta potential analysis. The biosynthetic PdNPs used ABTS and DPPH assay to demonstrate strong antioxidant potential with maximal inhibition. PdNPs hindered the growth of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with zone of inhibition that was 20–25 ± 0.22 mm. PdNPs showed anti-Alzheimer activity by suppression of acetylcholinesterase and butyryl cholinesterase enzymes. Furthermore, the minimum anti-proliferative concentration of PdNPs was detected against MCF-7 and HCT-116 which was 44.4 at 6.58 µg/mL, respectively. Thus, PdNPs have proved to be an effective therapeutic agent for drug delivery and other biomedical applications in the pharmaceutical industry.

In-situ electrochemical activation of a nickel metal-organic framework modified TiO2 photoanode for urea photoelectrocatalysis

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) possess a large specific surface area, porosity, and structural diversity, making them ideal candidates for catalysing the urea oxidation reaction (UOR). Even though MOF-based catalysts have been broadly investigated in urea electrocatalysis, few MOF catalysts are used for urea photoelectrocatalysis. The latter requires the MOF-based catalysts to efficiently separate and transport the photogenerated holes at the interface of photoanode-electrolyte junctions. In this study, a sulphur-containing organic ligand of 1,4-benzenedithiol (BDT) is innovatively employed to synthesize two-dimensional Ni-BDT MOFs from Ni(OH)2 nanosheets precursor. After the in-situ electrochemical activation of TiO2@Ni-BDT, the resultant MOF derivative modified TiO2 photoanode named as TiO2@Ni-BDT-A exhibits 3.83 times photocurrent in comparison with the pristine TiO2. A high photovoltage of 0.73 V and an impressive 82 % photocurrent retention after a long-term stability test can also be observed. The improvements are attributed to the enhanced surface active sites and the active species of Ni(2−σ)+−SOx, which can efficiently promote charge separation, increase conductivity, improve donor concentration, and lower the charge transfer resistance. This work develops a sulphur-containing Ni-MOF as a co-catalyst for efficient urea photoelectrocatalysis, and an effective strategy of in-situ electrochemical activation to boost photoanode activity.

Au- ZnFe2O4 hollow microspheres based gas sensor for detecting the mustard gas simulant 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide.

Mustard gas, a representative of blister agents, poses a severe threat to human health. Although the structure of 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (2-CEES) is similar to mustard gas, 2-CEES is non-toxic, rendering it a commonly employed simulant in related research. ZnFe2O4-based semiconductor gas sensors exhibit numerous advantages, including structural stability, high sensitivities, and easy miniaturization. However, they exhibit insufficient sensitivity at low concentrations and require high operating temperatures. Owing to the effect of electronic and chemical sensitization, the gas-sensing performance of a sensor may be remarkably enhanced via the sensitization method of noble metal loading. In this study, based on the morphologies of ZnFe2O4 hollow microspheres, a solvothermal method was adopted to realize different levels of Au loading. Toward 1 ppm of 2-CEES, the gas sensor based on 2 wt.% Au-loaded ZnFe2O4 hollow microspheres exhibited a response sensitivity twice that of the gas sensor based on pure ZnFe2O4; furthermore, the response/recovery times decreased. Additionally, the sensor displayed excellent linear response to low concentrations of 2-CEES, outstanding selectivity in the presence of several common volatile organic compounds, and good repeatability, as well as long-term stability. The Au-loaded ZnFe2O4-based sensor has considerable potential for use in detecting toxic chemical agents and their simulants.