Effect of zinc substitution on magnesium ferrite nanoparticles: Structural, electrical, magnetic, and gas-sensing properties

ABSTRACT

In this study, we fabricated zinc-substituted magnesium ferrite (MgFe₂O₄) (ZMF) nanoparticles with the general formula Zn_xMg_1−xFe₂O₄ (x = 0.00–0.75) using a surfactant-assisted co-precipitation method and evaluated their H₂S gas-sensing performance. Fourier-transform infrared and X-ray diffraction analysis results reveal the formation of a cubic spinel ferrite structure. The effect of zinc substitution on the physico-chemical properties of MgFe₂O₄ was studied and is discussed herein. The polycrystalline ZMF nanoparticles are magnetic and showed advantageous gas-sensing performance, the results of which reveal that they are sensitive to and selective for hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) gas. The ZMF gas sensors exhibited good sensing of various test gases/vapors, such as H₂S, H₂, Cl₂, carbon dioxide, liquid petroleum gas, ammonia, and ethanol while working at room temperature to 400 °C. The Zn_0.5Mg_0.5Fe₂O₄ composition produced the highest response toward 10 ppm H₂S gas at 400 °C operating temperature.

paper information
Materials Science & Engineering B, Volume 262, December 2020, 114776
Authors: Rohit R.Powar, Varsha D.Phadtare, Vinayak G.Parale, Sachin Pathak, Kallapa R.Sanadi, Hyung-Ho Park, Devidas R.Patil, Pravina B.Piste, Dnyandevo N.Zambare

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mseb.2020.114776