Mesoporous WO₃ Nanofibers With Crystalline Framework for High-Performance Acetone Sensing

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Semiconducting metal oxides are vital for environmental monitoring and breath analysis due to their sensing capabilities.
• Tungsten oxide (WO3) is a promising material, but optimizing its nanostructure is key for enhanced performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize mesoporous WO3 nanofibers with controlled hierarchical structures.
• To evaluate the gas sensing performance of these nanofibers for acetone detection.

Main Methods:

• Aqueous phase electrospinning using ammonium metatungstate, SiO2 nanoparticles, and polyvinylpyrrolidone as sacrificial templates.
• Characterization of the mesoporous WO3 nanofibers' structural properties (pore size, surface area, pore volume).
• Fabrication and testing of gas sensors based on the synthesized WO3 nanofibers.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized mesoporous WO3 nanofibers with controllable pore sizes (26.3-42.2 nm).
• Achieved high specific surface area (24.1-34.4 m2g-1) and pore volume (0.15-0.24 cm3g-1).
• Demonstrated excellent acetone sensing performance: low detection limit (<1 ppm), rapid response/recovery (24 s/27 s), broad linearity, and good selectivity.

Conclusions:

• The hierarchical structure of mesoporous WO3 nanofibers facilitates gas molecule diffusion, enhancing sensing performance.
• These WO3 nanofibers are highly effective for sensitive and selective acetone detection.
• The developed material shows significant potential for breath analysis and environmental monitoring applications.