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Zinc aluminate (ZnAl2O4) applied in the development of a propane gas sensor and in the design of a digital gas detector

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Abstract

When a propane gas sensor is developed based on a synthesized material, the goal is to use it in the development of new prototypes, which are applied in health and safety. In this work, zinc aluminate powders (ZnAl2O4) were synthesized using the colloidal method assisted with microwave radiation. The powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction, SEM, and TEM microscopy. With the diffraction analysis, the crystalline phase of the ZnAl2O4 oxide was demonstrated and with the electron microscopy images, the morphology of the particles was analyzed. In addition, based on these images, the particle size of the compound was estimated. With the calcined powders at 200 °C of ZnAl2O4, pellets were manufactured and electrically characterized (dynamic electrical tests) in atmospheres of dynamic propane at 200 °C, obtaining changes in electrical resistance as a function of time. The dynamic concentration of propane (1000 ppm) greatly influenced the excellent dynamic response in these operating conditions. Based on the electrical response of the sensor (ZnAl2O4), a first-order mathematical model was proposed and this was used to corroborate the stability of the sensor, its response to frequency and it was evaluated at 3s in order to estimate the resistance of the sensor \({R}_{p}\left(t\right)\) when the sensor is exposed to propane gas. With the result obtained from resistance \({\left.{R}_{p}\left(t\right)\right|}_{t=3}\), a prototype gas detector was designed based on the PIC16F887A microcontroller whose characteristics are: operating temperature of 200 °C, 1000 ppm operating concentration, 3s response time, 5 V supply voltage, 110 V alarm signal, optocoupler protection circuit, easy operation and easy repair. Our prototype has practical application in industries where high temperature safety systems are required, for example: boiler chimneys and heat exchangers.

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The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Mexico’s National Council of Science and Technology (CONACyT) and the University of Guadalajara for their support. Likewise, we thank Jaime Santoyo Salazar, Maria de la Luz Olvera Amador, Jorge Alberto Ramírez Ortega, and Miguel-Ángel Luna Arias for their technical assistance This investigation was carried out following the lines of research “Nanostructured Semiconductor Oxides” of the academic group UDG-CA-895 “Nanostructured Semiconductors” of CUCEI, University of Guadalajara.

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This research received no external funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Electro-Fotónica, C.U.C.E.I., Universidad de Guadalajara, Blvd. Gral. Marcelino García Barragán 1421, Olímpica, C.P. 44430, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México

    José Trinidad Guillen Bonilla, Antonio Casillas Zamora & Héctor Guillen Bonilla

  2. Departamento de Ciencias Computacionales e Ingenierías, Centro Universitario de los Valles (CUValles), Universidad de Guadalajara, Carr. a Guadalajara a Ameca Km. 45.5, C.P. 46600, Ameca, Jalisco, México

    Alex Guillen Bonilla

  3. Project engineering department, CUCEI University of Guadalajara, Blvd. Marcelino García Barragán #1421, 44430, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México

    Héctor Guillen Bonilla

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  1. José Trinidad Guillen Bonilla
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Contributions

JTGB and HGB proposed the device prototype and developed the electrical tests. AGB and ACZ synthetized the material and microscopy tests were done. All authors wrote the article.

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Correspondence to Héctor Guillen Bonilla.

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Bonilla, J.T.G., Bonilla, A.G., Zamora, A.C. et al. Zinc aluminate (ZnAl2O4) applied in the development of a propane gas sensor and in the design of a digital gas detector. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 34, 967 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-023-10378-x

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