Enhanced gas sensor performances of Y-doped nickel ferrite nanofibers with a rapid response

The efficient and rapid detection of triethylamine (TEA) is crucial in the field of gas sensors. Sensors fabricated using doped ternary metal oxides demonstrate high response, good stability, excellent gas selectivity, and reproducibility. In this study, NiFe 2 O 4 nanofibers doped with different concentrations of Yttrium (Y/Ni = 0 at%, 1.5 at%, 2.5 at%, 3.5 at% and 4.5 at%) were synthesized via electrospinning, and gas sensors fabricated from these materials were systematically analyzed for their gas-sensing performances. The results indicated that the gas-sensing properties of Y-doped NiFe 2 O 4 nanofibers were improved. Gas sensors based on Yttrium-doped NiFe 2 O 4 nanofibers with a Y/Ni ratio of 2.5 % (referred to as 2.5 % Y-NFO) exhibited the best performance, exhibiting a gas response of 39.3 for the detection of triethylamine at a concentration of 100 ppm at 125 °C. This response was about 3.1 times higher than pure NiFe 2 O 4 nanofibers. Additionally, the response time of 2.5 % Y-NFO is only 2 s, which is much faster than other reported TEA sensors. In addition, these gas sensors exhibit excellent repeatability, selectivity, and humidity resistance. Finally, the underlying mechanism responsible for the enhanced gas-sensing properties is comprehensively discussed. This study presents a simple, stable, and effective route for synthesizing Y-NiFe 2 O 4 nanofibers, thereby achieving excellent sensing performance for TEA detection.