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Photo-Activated Ga-ZnO Gas Sensor for NO2 Detection at Near Ambient Temperature

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Abstract

Doping is a good way for improving ZnO nanoparticles’ structural, optical, electrical, and sensing characteristics. In this context, undoped and ZnO: Ga nanopowders have been synthesized by sol-gel method. After annealing for 2 h at 400 °C, X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence and transmission electron microscopy analysis were carried out for analyzing the synthesized nanoparticle samples. Pure ZnO sample is composed of small particles with regular shapes, while agglomerates of smaller particles are observed in Ga-doped ZnO. XRD demonstrates that Ga ions addition results in no change in ZnO structure. A reduction in band gap value from 3.31 to 3.23 eV after gallium doping due to a decrease of electron density and a drop in conduction band was registered, representing a key factor that participates in gas sensing properties amelioration. Sensing tests towards NO2 gas are performed using a homemade instrument in a Teflon test chamber equipped by an LED UV lamp. The Ga dopant and UV light affect the sensing properties by creating more sites for the interaction between gas molecules and the sensing material surface. With rapid response as well as recovery times and high NO2 selectivity and high stability and repeatability, Ga-doped ZnO sensor could be an excellent candidate compared to other materials to detect NO2 gas at low concentrations and at near ambient temperature.

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The data used to support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.

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Funding

This work was supported and funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU) (grant number IMSIU-RP23005).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, College of Sciences, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, 11623, Saudi Arabia

    M. Hjiri

  2. Department of Engineering, University of Messina, Messina, 98166, Italy

    G. Neri

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  1. M. Hjiri
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  2. G. Neri
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Contributions

M. Hjiri: Data curation, Conceptualization, Formal analysis, Writing and Editing.G. Neri: Reviewing; Supervision.

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Correspondence to M. Hjiri.

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Hjiri, M., Neri, G. Photo-Activated Ga-ZnO Gas Sensor for NO2 Detection at Near Ambient Temperature. J Inorg Organomet Polym (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10904-023-02934-z

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