Title : Experimental and DFT calculations of ethylene detection performance of Co3O4
Abstract:
The morphology of metal oxide semiconductors (MOS) significantly influences their gas detection abilities. Nanostructured forms, like hierarchical structures, exhibit superior gas detection capabilities compared to bulk materials. This is attributed to their larger surface area and enhanced reactivity, facilitating improved gas adsorption and diffusion, leading to amplified sensitivity and faster response/recovery times. Cobalt dioxide (Co3O4), a typical p-type MOS, is commonly employed in gas sensing applications. Its sensing properties rely on surface catalytic properties, with sensors typically operating at temperatures exceeding 200°C. Understanding the morphology-dependent behavior of Co3O4 is crucial for optimizing its performance in gas sensing applications. This study investigates the gas detection capabilities of various cobalt oxide (Co3O4) structures, with a specific focus on ethylene (C2H4) detection. The Co3O4 structures were synthesized by hydrothermal synthesis at different reaction duration times i.e., 6, 12, and 24 hours. X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed a strong crystallinity of the structures. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Transmission electron (TEM) revealed sheet-like morphology assembling to form hierarchical structures. The sheet-like structures demonstrated a decreasing surface area obtained through Brunauer Emmet-Teller (BET) with increasing duration time. The gas sensing performance studies revealed high selectivity towards C2H4 gas with the Co3O4_6hrs based sensor demonstrating the highest response of 49.6, with fast response and recovery time of 27/42 s at 100 °C. The sensing performance of the Co3O4_6hrs based sensor was attributed to the high surface area and high defects as revealed by BET and Photoluminescence (PL) analysis in comparison to the rest of the samples. To provide a deeper understanding of the gas-sensing mechanisms at play, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were employed, offering valuable insights into the underlying processes driving the observed gas-sensing behavior.
Audience Take Away:
- Attendees will gain insights into the unique properties of Co3O4 and its suitability for ethylene sensing applications
- This research could serve as a foundation for other faculty members to expand their own research or incorporate related concepts into their teaching, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration
- The research may provide novel information that assists in solving design problems related to ethylene sensing, contributing to the advancement of technology in this field
- Beyond immediate applications, the presentation may have broader societal or environmental impacts by improving the efficiency of ethylene sensing, which is crucial in various industries, including agriculture, food storage, and environmental monitoring
