Selective Discrimination of VOCs Applying Gas Sensing Kinetic Analysis over a Metal Oxide-Based Chemiresistive Gas Sensor

Semiconducting metal oxide-based gas sensors have inadequate selectivity as they are responsive toward a variety of gases. Here, we report the implementation of gas sensing kinetic analysis of the sensor to identify the tested volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (2-propanol, formaldehyde, methanol, and toluene) precisely. A single chemiresistive sensor was employed having tin oxide-based hollow spheres as the sensing material, which were obtained by chemical synthesis. The gas sensing measurements were conducted in a dynamic manner where the sensor displayed excellent response with high sensitivity. Eley-Rideal model was adopted to obtain the kinetic properties of the gas sensing phenomenon through theoretical fitting of response transient curves and their corresponding kinetic parameters. The calculated characteristic kinetic properties were further examined to discriminate among different VOCs. The approach of using gas sensing kinetic analysis for multiple gas discrimination is an attractive solution to mitigate the problem of cross-sensitivity for resistive gas sensors.

Automated summary

Semiconducting metal oxide-based gas sensors lack selectivity due to responsiveness to various gases. Gas sensing kinetic analysis was employed to precisely identify volatile organic compounds, with excellent sensor response and high sensitivity observed. The Eley-Rideal model was utilized for theoretical fitting and calculation of characteristic kinetic properties to discriminate among different VOCs.