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Ammonia and nitrogen dioxide detection using ZnO/CNT nanocomposite synthesized by sol–gel technique

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Abstract

Through the use of sol–gel method, a composite material was created based on zinc oxide (ZnO) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT). As evidenced by the color of the solution and SEM images, colloidal nanoparticles were produced. For the construction of the devices, thin layers were deposited utilizing the spray pyrolysis on glass substrates and interdigitated electrodes. Samples were heated at different annealing temperatures ranging from 200 to 400 °C. The samples heated at 400 °C, have shown better interaction between zinc oxide and carbon nanotubes and achieved the sensitivity goal. Utilizing Tauc calculations and UV–visible absorption spectroscopy in the range of 300–1000 nm wavelength, the optical energy gap has been studied to address the effect of the existence of carbon nanotubes in the prepared samples. Using a homemade sensor system, the interaction of gases, including ammonia, nitrogen dioxide, and other organic odorants with the samples was investigated. Samples containing carbon nanotubes have exhibited better sensitivity and reversibility toward vapors, while zinc oxide only does not show reasonable performance at room temperature. The sensitivity toward nitrogen dioxide was found to be 96.6% for samples containing carbon nanotubes, while the sensitivity was 10.09% for samples of zinc oxide only.

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Highlights

  • Composite of zinc oxide and carbon nanotubes was synthesized by sol-gel technique.

  • Thin films have been deposited using spray pyrolysis method.

  • Optical, SEM and FTIR confirmed the successful interaction between zinc oxide and carbon nanotubes.

  • The composite materials show better sensitivity and response time towards odorants than bare zinc oxide.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to acknowledge the provision of instruments and necessary materials by (1) Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Babylon, (2) Department of Physics, College of Education for pure Sciences, University of Babylon, and (3) Medical physics Department, College of Technology and Health Sciences, Al-Mustaqbal University, to help in completing this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physics Department, College of Education for Pure Sciences, University of Babylon, Babylon, Iraq

    Saad Abbas Jasim & Ehssan Al-Bermany

  2. Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Babylon, Babylon, Iraq

    Hikmat A. J. Banimuslem

  3. Medical physics Department, College of Technology and Health Sciences, Al-Mustaqbal University, Hillah, Babil, 51001, Iraq

    Forat H. Alsultany & Rawaa M. Mohammed

Authors
  1. Saad Abbas Jasim
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  2. Hikmat A. J. Banimuslem
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  3. Forat H. Alsultany
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  4. Ehssan Al-Bermany
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  5. Rawaa M. Mohammed
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Contributions

The contribution of the authors is as follows: SAJ and HAJB wrote the main manuscript and prepared all of the samples for testing; the remaining authors prepared the figures and discussed the main results, and made a review for the work.

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Correspondence to Saad Abbas Jasim.

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Jasim, S.A., Banimuslem, H.A.J., Alsultany, F.H. et al. Ammonia and nitrogen dioxide detection using ZnO/CNT nanocomposite synthesized by sol–gel technique. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 108, 734–741 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-023-06190-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-023-06190-y

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