Efficient Sr-TiO3 Nanoparticle-Based Resistive n-Butanol Sensor: Effects of Composite Materials

This paper aims to introduce an efficient n-Butanol gas sensor based on composite Sr-TiO3 nanoparticles. Sr-TiO3 nanoparticles were synthesized using low temperature hydrothermal technique at controlled pressure. Crystallinity of the grown film was obtained through X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and is found to be ~24 nm. Formation of nanoparticles was confirmed through the field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The presence of strontium titanium oxide nanoparticles was shown by an XRD pattern. The butanol detecting capabilities of the developed sensor was studied throughout the temperature ranging from 27 to 200 °C. The maximum response of 75% was found at 150 °C toward 70 ppm of n-butanol. At optimum temperature (150 °C), sensor showed fastest response time (72 s) and recovery time (30 s) with acceptable reproducibility. The proposed sensor's potential was highlighted by a comparison with previously published TiO2-based nanocomposite sensors. Efficient butanol response of the present sensor was correlated with help of grain boundary mechanism at nanoparticles surfaces under air and gaseous medium.