CO sensing performances of YSZ-based sensor attached with sol-gel derived ZnO nanospheres

• Published in: Sensors and actuators. B, Chemical Vol. 283; pp. 842 - 847
• Main Authors: Mahendraprabhu, Kamaraj, Selva Sharma, Arumugam, Elumalai, Perumal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 15.03.2019; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Automobile emissions; Carbon monoxide; Citric acid; CO gas sensor; Detection; Electrodes; Gelation; Nanospheres; Selectivity; Sensors; Sol-gel method; Sol-gel processes; Yttria-stabilized zirconia; Yttrium oxide; Zinc oxide; Zinc oxides; Zirconium dioxide; ZnO nanospheres; CO gas sensor; Automobile emissions; Sol-gel method; ZnO nanospheres; Yttria-stabilized zirconia
• ISSN: 0925-4005; 1873-3077
• DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2018.11.164

[Display omitted] •YSZ-mixed potential sensor using sol-gel derived ZnO was fabricated.•Excellent selectivity and sensitivity to CO at 700 °C in 5–21 vol.% O2 concentrations.•The sensor showed enduring CO stability with rapid response and recovery.•Nano features of the sol-gel derived ZnO led to high sensitivity and selectivity to CO. Zinc oxide nanospheres (ZnO) were synthesized by modified sol-gel route using zinc nitrate as precursor and citric acid as gelling agent. Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ)-based sensor was fabricated using the sol-gel derived ZnO nanospheres as sensing electrode and Pt as reference electrode. The sensing characteristics were examined in the temperature range of 600–800 °C under various O2 concentrations (5, 10, 15 and 21 vol.%). It turned out that the sensor attached with the sol-gel derived ZnO-SE exhibited selective and sensitive response to carbon monoxide (CO) at 700 °C in all measured O2 concentrations. The sensor using sol-gel derived ZnO-SE showed high response and selectivity to CO at 700 °C in 5 vol.% O2. The response of the sensor varied linearly with CO concentrations on the logarithmic scale. The sensing mechanism was confirmed to be mixed-potential type. The sensor retained good stability even for about 40 days. The nano features associated with the sol-gel derived ZnO led to high response and selectivity to CO.