An acetylacetone gas sensor based on transition-metal doped ZnO double hexagonal prism structure with UV excitation

Acetylacetone gas is a flammable, explosive, and toxic volatile compound with a pungent odor that can contaminate the atmospheric environment and pose a risk to human health. Consequently, establishing effective detection methods for acetylacetone is imperative. In this study, Co-doped ZnO (ZOC) were synthesized via a hydrothermal method with varying Co concentrations from 0 to 15 %, and used for the detection of acetylacetone for the first time. The sample with an 8 % Co/Zn mass ratio (8-ZOC) exhibits optimal gas sensing performance for acetylacetone. At a working temperature of 260 °C, the response to 100 ppm acetylacetone reaches up to 557.25, with a rapid response time of 6 s. Compared to pure ZnO, the response of 8-ZOC is increased by 5.9 times, and both the recovery time and the optimum operating temperature are reduced by 154 s and 40 °C, respectively. When exposed to UV light, the response value of 8-ZOC further improves to 682.49. Moreover, the underlying mechanisms of the enhanced gas sensing properties are also explored in detail. This research provides essential insights for the development of acetylacetone gas sensors.