Date of Publication :8th January 2024

Abstract: Acetone sensing is crucial in various applications, including environmental monitoring, breath analysis for medical diagnostics, and industrial safety. Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a widely used metal oxide semiconductor for gas sensors due to its hi gh sensitivity, chemical stability, and ease of synthesis. However, the pristine ZnO-based sensors often suffer from high operating temperatures and limited selectivity. In this work, silver (Ag) doping is introduced to enhance the acetone-sensing properties of ZnO, focusing on improving sensitivity, selectivity, and reducing operating temperatures.
Ag-doped ZnO nanostructures were synthesized using a facile chemical route and characterized using techniques such as X- ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The doping of Ag into the ZnO lattice creates oxygen vacancies and enhances the catalytic activity, facilitating improved acetone adsorption and reacti on kinetics on the sensor surface. Gas-sensing tests revealed that Ag-doped ZnO exhibits significantly enhanced sensitivity to acetone at lower temperatures compared to undoped ZnO. The sensor’s response to various concentrations of acetone was in- vestigated, demonstrating superior selectivity against interfering gases like ethanol and methanol.
The findings suggest that Ag-doped ZnO is a promising material for low-temperature, high-performance acetone gas sensors, offering potential for applications in non-invasive disease diagnostics, particularly for detecting diabetes through breath acetone analysis.

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