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Synthesis and NH3/TMA sensing properties of CuFe2O4 hollow microspheres at low working temperature

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Abstract

In this work, CuFe2O4 hollow microspheres assembled with nanosheets (CuFe2O4 HMANs) were synthesized using a solvothermal method followed by an annealing treatment. The effects of annealing temperature on microstructure, chemical composition and gas sensing characteristics of as-prepared samples were investigated. The results showed that annealing treatment played a crucial role in the final products. All samples demonstrated hollow spherical morphology assembled with nanosheets or nanoparticles. The CuFe2O4 HMANs annealed at 400 °C exhibited the best n-type conductometric sensing properties toward low-concentration NH3 at 100 °C and 49%RH. The sensor response to 10 × 10−6 NH3 was 4.0 with a rapid response time of 32 s, and it even showed a response of 1.2 toward 1 × 10−6 NH3 at the same condition, while a response of 3.95 to trimethylamine (TMA). The CuFe2O4 HMANs-based NH3 sensor also exhibited good selectivity and excellent reproducibility. Therefore, this work provided a novel promised sensing material of low-concentration NH3 and TMA for real-time monitoring.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51872254), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2017YFE0115900) and Yangzhou City-Yangzhou University Cooperation Foundation (No. YZU201801).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Mechanical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225127, China

    Kai-Di Wu, Jin-Yong Xu & Chao Zhang

  2. Materials Science Department, University of Mons, Mons, 7000, Belgium

    Marc Debliquy

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  1. Kai-Di Wu
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Correspondence to Chao Zhang.

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Wu, KD., Xu, JY., Debliquy, M. et al. Synthesis and NH3/TMA sensing properties of CuFe2O4 hollow microspheres at low working temperature. Rare Met. 40, 1768–1777 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-020-01609-9

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