Nanocrystalline gallium ferrite: A novel material for sensing very low concentration of alcohol vapour

Abstract

Abstract Nanocrystalline orthorhombic gallium ferrite (GFO) has been synthesized by a sol-gel method. The synthesized powder has been characterized by TG/DTA, XRD, TEM, FTIR and nitrogen adsorption isotherm. In the present study we report an excellent ethanol vapour sensitivity of nanocrystalline GaFeO3 at concentrations down to 1 ppm making the sensors suitable for application in food industries. Interestingly in contrast to the market available consumers breath analyser based on tin dioxide, GaFeO3-based sensor is immune to moisture (present in breath) and acetone vapour (an interfacing agent for diabetics). Such gallium ferrite based sensors can be used to make potential interference free breath analyser for real-life applications. In addition, such sensors being highly selective and do not show any cross-sensitivity towards moisture, methanol and carbon monoxide like those based on tin dioxide.