Optical fibre based acetone sensor using Pd modified WO3 nanostructures

Acetone is one of the biomarkers required for breathe analysis. Herein, we report, an optical acetone detector based on Pd decorated WO(3 )nanostructures (Pd@WO3). The gas sensitive Pd@WO3 is being coated on clad removed fiber optic cable in which refractive index changes after exposure to gases. A fiber optical core made from Po is used for detection of light absorbed through the fiber optical cable for different gases such as ammonia, benzene, acetone, NOx, ethanol, methanol, TEA, TMA, toluene and formaldehyde. A thickness dependent study of coating material has been carried out for detection of analyte gas/vapor. Among all tested gases, acetone showed the maximum response with optimized Pd@WO3 coating thickness at 10 mu m. Both WO3 and Pd@WO(3 )showed the response towards test gases but this response was found to be increased for Pd@WO3. Acetone response was studied for lower (20-100 ppm) and higher (100-1000 ppm) gas concentrations at room temperature. Absorption of acetone was found to be increased after increasing the gas concentration. The gas sensing characteristics and sensing mechanism is also discussed in detail.

Automated summary

An optical acetone detector based on Pd decorated WO3 nanostructures (Pd@WO3) is reported in this study. Gas-sensitive Pd@WO3 is coated on a fiber optic cable to detect gases such as acetone. Among all tested gases, acetone showed the maximum response with an optimized Pd@WO3 coating thickness of 10 μm.