Solid State Synthesis and Gas Sensing Properties of Nanometer ZnO

Precursors were synthesized by solid state reaction of zinc acetate with oxalic acid. ZnO gas sensing materials were obtained by decomposition of the precursors and characterized by XRD and TEM. La2O3 and Nd2O3 were doped in nanometre ZnO materials by the methods of solid state and liquid state reaction. The sensitivity of the materials was measured at various mole ratios of ZnO to La2O3 or Nd2O3. The gas sensitivity of ZnO element to C2H5OH, NH3 and LPG were measured in static state at a various operational temperatures. The results show that ZnO prepared by this method is highly sensitive to C2H5OH and selective between C2H5OH, NH3 and LPG at a low operational temperature.