Neodymium doped Y2O3 nanocomposite for enhanced triethylamine gas sensor

Addressing the critical challenge of developing highly sensitive yet energy-efficient gas sensors for hazardous triethylamine (TEA) vapor, this research introduces a novel material design strategy through the strategic doping of yttrium oxide (Y 2 O 3 ) with neodymium (Nd 3+ ). We propose that the ionic radius mismatch of Nd 3+ effectively re-engineer the host lattice, enabling enhanced sensing performance at moderate operating temperatures. The synthesized Nd/Y 2 O 3 nanocomposites were systematically characterized, and the results confirm that Nd incorporation into the Y2O3 lattice promotes crystalline growth and significantly increases the concentration of oxygen vacancies, as evidenced by XRD, XPS, and BET analyses. This combined structural and chemical modification results in a chemiresistive sensor with outstanding performance, including a 17-fold enhancement in response to 100 ppm TEA at 200 °C compared to pristine Y 2 O 3 , along with rapid response-recovery kinetics, excellent selectivity, and reliable long-term stability. The enhanced sensing mechanism is attributed to a synergistic effect in which Nd-induced oxygen vacancies deepen the electron depletion layer, facilitate surface redox reactions, and the optimized nanostructure improves gas diffusion. This work validates Nd/Y 2 O 3 as a promising sensing material and demonstrates the rational rare-earth doping represents an effective strategy for advancing the performance of metal oxide gas sensors.