CeO2 doped ZnO flower-like nanostructure sensor selective to ethanol in presence of CO and CH4

CeO2-doped ZnO nanostructures, with different Ce/Zn ratios, were synthesized via a very fast microwave-assisted method using zinc acetate dihydrate and cerium nitrate as starting materials and water as solvent. The samples were characterized via SEM, EDX, XRD, and BET analyses. Gas sensitivity of the fabricated sensor was studied for selective detection of ethanol in presence of CO and CH4 and effect of CeO2 with different concentrations as a dopant was investigated. 5 wt% CeO2 doped sample was shown to improve the sensor response to 500 ppm ethanol with high selectivity in presence of CO and CH4. Furthermore presence of ceria reduced the recovery time of the sensor significantly. The CeO2-doped ZnO may be considered a promising sensing material for selective detection of ethanol. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.