Synthesis and Characterization of Al2O3-Doped LaFeO3 Thick Film Ceramics for Ethanol Gas Sensing Application

Preparation and characterization of Al2O3-dopped LaFeO3 thick film ceramics for ethanol gas sensor applications has been conducted. LaFeO3 ceramics were made by co-precipitation method with doping variation of Al2O3 0% and 3.75% mole of the main ingredients LaFeO3 (La2O3 and Fe2O3). Screen printing technique was employed to make thick film ceramics of LaFeO3 and Al2O3-dopped LaFeO3. The ceramics were calcined at temperature of 600 degrees C. The analysis results of the characteristics of crystals using X-Ray Difraction (XRD) showed that the made ceramics made had cubic phase with a lattice parameter a=b=c=39.52nm. The addition of 3.75% mole of Al2O3 did not change the crystal phase and lattice parameter values of LaFeO3. The crystallite size of LaFeO3 was 52.17nm while the crystallite size of Al2O3-doped LaFeO3 was 44.52nm. The analysis results of morphological structure ceramics of LaFeO3 and Al2O3-doped LaFeO3 using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) possessed a grain size of each 0:40 mu m and 0.25 mu m. The electrical characterization results of LaFeO3 thick film ceramics indicated the sensitivity of the sensor increased along with the addition of ethanol gas concentration. The maximum sensitivity value of LaFeO3 thick film ceramics ceramic thick film LaFeO3 and Al2O3-doped LaFeO3 at 300ppm was 4.34 at 3300 degrees C and 6.08 at 3500 degrees C. The thick film ceramics with the addition of 3.75% mole of Al2O3 has a higher sensitivity and potential to be used as ethanol gas sensor.