In recent years, there has been a renewed interest on spinel ferrites for their remarkable versatile applications. Among AFe 2 O 4 , zinc ferrite (ZnFe 2 O 4 ) has gained special importance due to its application in gas sensing, drug delivery and magnetic resonance imaging. Nanocrystalline powder of ZnFe 2 O 4 with average size of 25-30 nm was synthesized using citrate-gel method. Thermogravimetric analysis and XRD confirmed the formation of nanocrystalline ZnFe 2 O 4 at 400°C. The band appearing below 700 cm -1 in the FTIR spectrum confirmed the presence of Zn(Fe-O) group. Microstructural investigation was done on SEM and TEM. The response of ZnFe 2 O 4 towards alcohol and acetone vapour at 350°C was studied. The sample showed n-type conductivity with excellent vapour sensitivity. © 2014 The Indian Ceramic Society.