Surface engineering of Co-Zn bimetallic oxide composite units: Effective enhancement of detection performance towards toluene

The gas sensing performance of transition metal-based metal oxides primarily relies on their geometric configuration . This study focuses on bimetallic oxides composed of elements Zn and Co, aiming to enhance the gas-sensing capabilities of the sensor by precisely adjusting the exposure level of monotypic active configurations and the bimetallic composite ratio. The test results show that the Co-Zn-O sensitive material synthesized by a simple solvothermal method has a good detection effect on toluene. Notably, the optimized sample exhibited a 61 % response to 100 ppm toluene at an operating temperature of 140°C, with a theoretical detection limit as low as 0.243 ppm. Various characterizations elucidate the feasibility of fine-tuning the active site content by manipulating the composition of the samples to realize the minimal detect unit of Zn 1-x Co x O/ZnCo 2 O 4 . The following research confirms the outstanding properties of the sensor for toluene is the result of the combined catalytic activity of the sensing layer, the reaction rate, and the structural properties of the sensing material. This synthesis pathway affords the synergistic exploitation of the merits inherent in ZnO and ZnCo 2 O 4 for gas sensing, ultimately facilitating the detection of toluene. The findings of this study furnish an approach for fabricating well-structured Co-Zn-O materials, thereby furnishing pragmatic insights for developing toluene detection systems.