Modelling Of Gas Diffusion In Mesoporous Tin Dioxide (SnO2) As Gas Sensor In Detecting Acetone Vapour
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Date
2021-01-01
Authors
Mohan, Khamini
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
Mesoporous semiconductor based gas sensors have been extensively researched and employed
in the detection of traces poisonous and flammable gases such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2),
carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such
as ethanol, methanol and acetone which are dangerous to both people and the environment. In
this research, mesoporous tin dioxide based gas sensor, SnO2 is utilized due to its low cost,
high sensitivity and quick response. In order to determine the most effective techniques for
optimising the gas sensing properties of mesoporous SnO2, the effect of acetone concentration
and operating temperature on the sensitivity of a gas sensor was investigated using a diffusion
mechanism model. The gas detecting mechanism was controlled by Knudsen diffusion of the
target gas through the porous film and its interaction with adsorbed oxygen, which followed a
first-order reaction kinetic. In the diffusion mechanism model equation, a general expression
of sensitivity, S (Ra/Rg) as a function of pre-exponential constants, α0 and k0, reaction activation
energy for gas dependent, Ea, universal gas constant, R, temperature, T, concentration,
𝐶𝐴𝑠, film thickness, L, reaction activation energy for temperature dependent, Ek, pore radius, r
and molecular weight of target gas, M was derived under steady state condition. Theoretically,
the variations of sensitivity with the sensor operating temperature resulted in a bell-shaped
curve with optimum temperature, whereas increasing gas concentration resulted in increased
sensitivity before saturation was attained. When comparing the previous result with the
MATLAB simulation, it is clear that the sensitivity increases as the temperature rises, resulting
in a linear line rather than a bell shape curve. This can be said the developed model is not suited
for the stimulated various operating temperature. The model was used to do a sensitivity
analysis based on film thickness, L, and pore radius, r. According to simulation results,
sensitivity improved with decreasing layer thickness at 300oC because of greater interaction
between the gas to be detected and the sensor surface. The sensitivity of the gas sensor
increased with increasing pore radius in the model at a given temperature of 300 oC, which can
be explained adequately by the equation of Knudsen diffusion coefficient, Dk.