WO₃/Ru@CeO₂ Bilayer Gas Sensor for ppb-Level Xylene Detection Based on a Catalytic-Sensitive Synergistic Mechanism.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Science
• Chemical Sensing

Background:

• Volatile aromatic hydrocarbons (like BTEX) pose significant environmental and health risks.
• Current sensors struggle with low reactivity and poor selectivity for real-time BTEX monitoring.
• Catalytically sensitive synergistic bilayer sensors offer a promising solution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a highly sensitive and selective sensor for real-time BTEX gas detection.
• To investigate the synergistic effects in a WO3/Ru@CeO2 bilayer sensor.
• To enable the detection of BTEX at parts per billion (ppb) levels.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of Ru@CeO2 nanosheets via solvothermal and calcination methods.
• Fabrication of a WO3/Ru@CeO2 bilayer sensor with WO3 nanofibers and Ru@CeO2 nanosheets.
• Utilized online mass spectrometry and density functional theory (DFT) for validation.

Main Results:

• The WO3/Ru@CeO2 bilayer sensor exhibited a response of 37.04 to 5 ppm xylene at 160 °C.
• The sensor demonstrated significant response to xylene down to 1 ppb concentrations.
• Ru doping modulated CeO2 morphology, enhancing sensor performance through synergistic effects.

Conclusions:

• The developed WO3/Ru@CeO2 bilayer sensor effectively detects ppb-level BTEX gases.
• Synergistic interactions between catalytic and sensing layers are crucial for enhanced performance.
• This bilayer sensor design presents a new avenue for advanced BTEX gas detection.