Zn-doped Co3O4 nanoparticles: promising room temperature sensor materials for efficient triethylamine (TEA) detection

A remarkable Zn-doped Co3O4 nanoparticle material exhibiting exceptional potential as a triethylamine (TEA) sensor was presented. Zn-doped Co3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized using a facile solvothermal method with varying concentrations of zinc dopant. The effects of Zn doping on the sensor triethylamine detection capabilities were investigated, revealing a notable enhancement in sensitivity and selectivity with a response of 2.04 at 25 °C. Furthermore, the calculated response and recovery times at the optimum temperature were 7.5 s and 27.8 s, respectively, making it an energy-efficient and quicker alternative to conventional sensors. This improvement in the sensing performance can be attributed to the optimized electronic structure and chemical properties achieved through Zn doping, which promoted the formation of abundant oxygen vacancies and improved the number of adsorption sites. These findings demonstrate that Zn-doped Co3O4 nanoparticles are promising sensor materials for efficient TEA detection, with potential applications in various industries. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd