Highly sensitive surface plasmon resonance-based sensor using green synthesized Fe₃O₄/rGO interface layer utilizing...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Chemical Sensing

Background:

• Developing accurate and non-destructive methods for alcohol detection is crucial.
• Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) offers high sensitivity for detecting chemical interactions.
• Nanocomposite materials can enhance the performance of SPR sensors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a fast, real-time, and accurate non-destructive alcohol detection method using SPR.
• To synthesize and characterize a novel Fe3O4/rGO nanocomposite for SPR applications.
• To investigate the effect of an applied magnetic field on the SPR sensor's sensitivity.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized Fe3O4/rGO nanocomposite using a green route with plant extracts (Moringa oleifera and Amaranthus viridis).
• Characterized the nanocomposite using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy.
• Performed SPR measurements using a Krestchmann configuration with the Fe3O4/rGO nanocomposite as the sensing layer.
• Investigated the SPR angle shift upon exposure to different alcohol compounds (methanol, ethanol, IPA) and in the presence of a magnetic field.

Main Results:

• The Fe3O4/rGO nanocomposite exhibited a face-centered cubic inverse spinel structure with controlled crystallite and nanoparticle sizes.
• FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of Fe3O4 and rGO, with evidence of interaction.
• The nanocomposite showed superparamagnetic properties and an energy gap of 2.36 eV.
• SPR angle shifts were observed for different alcohols, with further significant shifts induced by an applied magnetic field, indicating enhanced sensitivity.

Conclusions:

• The green-synthesized Fe3O4/rGO nanocomposite is a promising material for SPR-based alcohol detection.
• The SPR sensor demonstrated the ability to differentiate between methanol, ethanol, and IPA.
• The application of a magnetic field significantly enhances the sensitivity of the SPR sensor for alcohol detection, offering potential for early and accurate sensing.