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Investigation of the room temperature gas-detecting potential of CeO2-doped ZnO at different ratios using clad-modified fiber optic gas sensor

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Abstract

The detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ambient environments has opened up a new field for the quick, risk-free, and potentially low-cost identification of respiratory illnesses. In this context, CeO2-doped ZnO nanocomposites were produced through the sol–gel technique at various ratios (CeO2:ZnO at 1:4, 4:4, and 4:1, respectively), and their gas-sensing capability was evaluated and shown using a clad-modified fiber optic sensor to study its potential as a VOC detector. The study was based on the concepts of evanescent wave absorption. The modified cladded optical fiber was exposed to ammonia, ethanol, and methanol gas medium in the testing laboratory. At room/chamber temperature, the sensor's sensitivity is tested for various ratios and their spectral response was recorded, and was observed that CeO2-doped ZnO at 4:1 ratio exhibited better sensitivity towards ammonia gas vapor, with a sensitivity of 2.6 counts/10 ppm and a sensitivity percentage of about 26% for the maximum of 100 ppm. Thus, the RT ammonia gas-sensing capability of CeO2-doped ZnO (4:1) is well suited to industrial applications.

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Funding

Dr. S.M.M.S.Maricar and Mr.Noble assisted with characterization and experiments, and one of the authors (B.R.) acknowledges the DST/SERB in New Delhi, India for financial support through the fast track project for young scientists (Letter No.SB/FTP/ETA-99/2013 dated 03.09.2013).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, 602105, India

    B. Renganathan & A. Deepak

  2. Centre for Materials Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research, Selaiyur, Chennai, 600 073, India

    Subha Krishna Rao

  3. Applied Optics Laboratory, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India

    B. Renganathan & A. R. Ganesan

  4. Department of Chemistry, Karpagam Academy of Higher Education, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641021, India

    Nagarajan Kannapiran

  5. Centre for Material Chemistry, Karpagam Academy of Higher Education, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641021, India

    Nagarajan Kannapiran

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  1. B. Renganathan
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  2. Subha Krishna Rao
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  3. A. R. Ganesan
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  4. A. Deepak
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  5. Nagarajan Kannapiran
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Contributions

BR: Original draft preparation, data validation, Data analysis & interpretation, Fiber optics gas sensor concept and Methodology. SKR: Original draft preparation, data validation,Reviewing and editing & Data validation. ARG: Reviewing. AD: Reviewing and editing, NK: Reviewing and editing.

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Correspondence to B. Renganathan.

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Renganathan, B., Rao, S.K., Ganesan, A.R. et al. Investigation of the room temperature gas-detecting potential of CeO2-doped ZnO at different ratios using clad-modified fiber optic gas sensor. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 33, 23974–23985 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-022-08512-2

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