Self-Propagating Synthesis of ZnCo2O4 Porous Structure for Ethanol Gas Sensor

Porous materials can enhance the diffusion path and active site exposure of gas molecules by virtue of their rich surface area and unique microstructure, thus showing excellent practical performance in gas sensors. ZnCo 2 O 4 spinel material with porous structure is successfully prepared by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS), and its morphology, structure, and specific surface area are characterized. Experimental results demonstrate that the porous ZnCo 2 O 4 exhibits high sensitivity (5.34–100 ppm), a low detection limit (1 ppm), strong selectivity, and excellent reproducibility for ethanol detection at 150 °C. The enhanced sensing performance primarily stems from the material's porous architecture and substantial surface area advantage.