Hydrogen sensing characteristics of wet chemical synthesized tailored Mg0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanostructures

Solution based synthesis routes are attractive for making tailor-made nanostructures for electroceramics in a simple and cost-effective way. The gas sensing characteristics of semiconducting oxide gas sensors strongly depend on the adsorption and desorption of gases over the sensing surface. The morphology of the sensing element is known to influence the adsorption and desorption of gases and thereby the sensing performance of the material. In the present work a Pechini based solution synthesis route is adopted in order to synthesize magnesium zinc ferrite gas sensors in nanoparticle, nanotube and thin film forms. The hydrogen gas sensing characteristics of these sensing elements are compared as a function of test gas concentration and operating temperature. The influences of the morphology of the magnesium zinc ferrite sensing elements on the hydrogen sensing characteristics are discussed.