Development of room temperature fiber optic gas sensor using clad modified Zn-3 (VO4)(2)

The paper reports the preparation and fiber optic gas sensing characteristic of clad modified Zn-3(VO4)(2) nanopowder. Ultrafine zinc vanadate nanopowder was obtained by surfactant assisted solution combustion method. The structural characterization and morphological studies of Zn-3(VO4)(2) nanoparticles were done by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, FT-IR spectra and diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). Clad modified fiber optic gas sensors made from Zn-3(VO4)(2) nanopowder demonstrate good sensitivity to ammonia gas at room temperature. Gas sensing behavior of this material to various other reducing gases such as ethanol, methanol and acetone has also been studied. Results reveal that nanocrystalline Zn-3(VO4)(2) has the highest sensitivity to ammonia with a fast response and a recovery time of 46.8 and 59.0 min respectively. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.