Excellence evaluation of samarium doped Mn-Zn ferrite nanocrystals for room temperature HCl detection

The Samarium doped Smx: Mn0.8Zn0.2Fe2-xO4 (SMZFO) (x = 0.0-0.1) nanocrystals (NCs) have synthesized by a clean, environmentally friendly, simple, low temperature, facile chemical co-precipitation route. The surface features of the SMZFO NCs were exploited by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analyzer, vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and ultraviolet visible (UV) spectroscopy. The gas sensing measurements have been carried out by computerinterfaced gas sensing setup. The Sm 0.075: MZFO sensor exhibited maximum response of 47.24 % towards 100 ppm HCl at room temperature (RT, i.e., 27 degrees C). The minimal concentration detected by the sensor was 10 ppm with quickest response time (17.57 s) and recovery time (23.82 s). This is the first attempt made ever for detection of HCl by SMZFO NCs sensor at RT. To understand interaction mechanism of HCl gas molecules and SMZFO NCs sensor surface, impedance spectroscopy was employed. The SMZFO NCs sensor has demonstrated spectacularly improved gas sensing performance to open new doors in the era of gas sensor technology.