A ZnO/ZnFe2O4 n–n heterojunction and Au loading synergistically improve the sensing performance of acetone

• Published in: Inorganic chemistry frontiers Vol. 9; no. 21; pp. 5663 - 5672
• Main Authors: Qin, Qixuan, Li, Asu, Fan, Yizhuo, Zhang, Xindong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Royal Society of Chemistry 25.10.2022
• Subjects: Acetone; Gold; Heterojunctions; Inorganic chemistry; Microspheres; Nanoparticles; Operating temperature; Performance tests; Shells (structural forms); Synergistic effect; Zinc ferrites; Zinc oxide
• ISSN: 2052-1545; 2052-1553
• DOI: 10.1039/d2qi01517j

In this work, Au nanoparticle-loaded ZnO/ZnFe2O4 (Au-ZnO/ZnFe2O4) microspheres were prepared using a combination of a two-step hydrothermal process and a co-precipitation method. The SEM and TEM analyses showed that the synthesized Au-ZnO/ZnFe2O4 samples were microspheres with a yolk–shell structure assembled from nanosheets. Gas-sensitive performance tests indicated that Au-ZnO/ZnFe2O4 showed the highest response to 100 ppm acetone (18.18), higher than those of ZnFe2O4 (8.4) and ZnO/ZnFe2O4 (11.6). In addition, the optimum operating temperature of Au-ZnO/ZnFe2O4 decreased from 279 to 206 °C compared to ZnFe2O4 and ZnO/ZnFe2O4. In addition, Au-ZnO/ZnFe2O4 yolk–shell microspheres exhibited fast response and recovery times (4 and 23 s, respectively). The sensor has a lower limit of acetone detection (0.7 ppm) at 85% RH and is able to effectively differentiate diabetic patients from healthy subjects by detecting acetone in their exhaled breath. The enhanced response of Au-ZnO/ZnFe2O4-based sensor is attributed not only to its high specific surface area but also to the synergistic effect of the n–n heterojunction structure of ZnO-ZnFe2O4 and the catalysis of Au nanoparticles.