Response characteristics of Co-ZnO gas-sensing materials to acetone and waste gas detection

YANG Jia-li; DANG Xiao-qing; WANG He

PDF(2357 KB)

China Environmental Science ›› 2026, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (3) : 1320-1330.

Air Pollution Control

Response characteristics of Co-ZnO gas-sensing materials to acetone and waste gas detection

YANG Jia-li^1,2, DANG Xiao-qing¹, WANG He^1,2

Author information +

History +

Abstract

Co-doped ZnO gas-sensitive materials were synthesized via a hydrothermal method, and the influence of varying Co doping concentrations on their gas-sensing properties was systematically investigated. Furthermore, focusing on the emission characteristics of acetone within the multi-component VOCs generated during rubber vulcanization, the feasibility of real-time acetone detection using these materials was explored, aiming to enable cost-effective operation of adsorption systems under compliance conditions. The results indicated that the Co-ZnO-2% sensor achieved a high response value of 1146.8 to 260mg/m³ acetone at 240°C, with rapid response and recovery times of 16s and 8s, respectively. Additionally, it exhibited excellent selectivity, reproducibility, and long-term stability toward acetone. In a simulated VOC adsorption purification experiment, the Co-ZnO-2% sensor was applied, and its response values were demonstrated to effectively indicate both the breakthrough and saturation states of the adsorbent. Under multi-component adsorption conditions, with acetone as a representative indicator, a warning threshold and a concentration prediction model, X_acetone=(Y-16.89)/4.47, were established to estimate VOC concentrations. This approach successfully realized online monitoring of the adsorption process and evaluation of the emission status.

Key words

acetone gas sensor / p-n heterojunction / gas-sensitive performance / adsorption

Cite this article

EndNote

Ris (Procite)

Bibtex

Download Citations

YANG Jia-li, DANG Xiao-qing, WANG He. Response characteristics of Co-ZnO gas-sensing materials to acetone and waste gas detection[J]. China Environmental Science. 2026, 46(3): 1320-1330

References

[1] 蔡晓倩,杨宏,刘雪婷,等.西北典型炼化园区VOCs浓度特征及来源分析 [J]. 中国环境科学, 2025,45(8):4152-4162. Cai X Q, Yang H, Liu X T, et al. Characteristics and source analysis of VOCs concentration in a typical petrochemical parks in Northwest China [J]. China Environmental Science, 2025,45(8):4152-4162.
[2] 徐遵主,熊红红,张宇威,等.江苏省典型工业源挥发性有机物排污特征与减排潜力分析 [J]. 环境工程学报, 2024,18(2):547-559. Xu Z Z, Xiong H H, Zhang Y W, et al. Emission characteristics and emission reduction potential of volatile organic compounds from typical industrial sources in Jiangsu Province [J]. Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2024,18(2):547-559.
[3] 董静,李顺姬,党小庆,等.关中地区典型行业VOCs排放源成分谱及环境影响 [J]. 中国环境科学, 2025,45(2):619-628. Dong J, Li S J, Dang X Q, et al. Source composition spectrum and environmental impact of VOCs emission from typical industries in Guanzhong Region [J]. China Environmental Science, 2025,45(2): 619-628.
[4] 王博.橡胶行业挥发性有机废气处理工艺综述 [J]. 橡塑技术与装备, 2020,46(11):36-39. Wang B. Summarization of volatile organic waste gas treatment process in rubber industry [J]. China Rubber/Plastics Technology and Equipment, 2020,46(11):36-39.
[5] 王士满,郑召双,张宇.活性炭吸附在塑料行业有机废气治理中的实际应用 [J]. 山东化工, 2025,54(13):169-171,176. Wang S M, Zheng Z S, Zhang Y, et al. The practical application of activated carbon adsorption in the treatment of organic waste gas in the plastic industry [J]. Shandong Chemical Industry, 2025,54(13): 169-171,176.
[6] 党小庆,王琪,曹利,等.吸附法净化工业VOCs的研究进展 [J]. 环境工程学报, 2021,15(11):3479-3492. Dang X Q, Wang Q, Cao L, et al. Research progress on purification of VOCs in industrial gas by adsorption [J]. Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2021,15(11):3479-3492.
[7] 王海林,辛国兴,朱立敏,等.典型橡胶制品业VOCs排放特征及对周边环境影响 [J]. 环境科学, 2021,42(11):5193-5200. Wang H L, Xin G X, Zhu L M, et al. Emission characteristics and environment impacts of VOCs from typical rubber manufacture [J]. Environmental Science, 2021,42(11):5193-5200.
[8] 白红祥,魏巍,王雅婷,等.基于扩散模式反演的橡胶轮胎制造行业VOCs排放特征 [J]. 环境科学, 2019,40(7):2994-3000. Bai H X, Wei W, Wang Y T, et al. Characteristics of VOCs emitted from the rubber tire manufacturing industry based on the inverse- dispersion calculation method [J]. Environmental Science, 2019,40(7): 2994-3000.
[9] Guo J, Li Y W, Jiang B, et al. Xylene gas sensing properties of hydrothermal synthesized SnO₂-Co₃O₄ microstructure [J]. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2020,310:127780.
[10] 焦思琪,吕帅帅,张骋,等.金属氧化物基丙酮气体传感器研究进展 [J]. 微纳电子技术, 2023,60(11):1715-1727. Jiao S Q, Lü S S, Zhang C, et al. Research progress of metal oxide- based acetone gas sensors [J]. Micronanoelectronic Technology, 2023, 60(11):1715-1727.
[11] Liu K, Ma C, Ye G Y, et al. Advances in metal oxide semiconductor gas sensors for trace gas detection: From material fundamentals to device engineering [J]. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 2025: 183053.
[12] Zhang Y H, Liu Y C, Liu J L, et al. Anti-humidity and high sensitivity sensor for detecting acetone with Ce-ZnO nanosheets [J]. Ceramics International, 2024,50(17):29787-29798.
[13] 赵慧怡,刘雪梅,韦启铭,等.ZnO-NiO纳米纤维的丙酮气敏性能研究 [J]. 广西大学学报(自然科学版), 2023,48(5):1237-1246. Zhao H Y, Liu X M, Wei Q M, et al. Acetone gas-sensitive properties of ZnO-NiO nanofibers [J]. Journal of Guangxi University (Natural Science Edition), 2023,48(5):1237-1246.
[14] 陶国清,程知萱,张丹,等.双金属MOF衍生的Co掺杂氧化锌多孔材料制备及其气敏性能 [J]. 功能材料, 2020,51(9): 9185-9192. Tao G Q, Cheng Z X, Zhang D, et al. Preparation and gas sensing properties of Co-doped ZnO porous materials derived by bimetal MOF [J]. Journal of Functional Materials, 2020,51(9): 9185-9192.
[15] Begi A N, Hussain S, Liu M, et al. Highly sensitive SnO₂/Co₃O₄ nanocomposite materials for H₂S gas sensor application [J]. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry (Seoul, Korea), 2025.
[16] Li Z N, Li Y, Song G L, et al. Enhanced triethylamine sensing performance of Co-doped ZnO nanorods prepared using a solvothermal method [J]. Transactions of Materials Research, 2025,1 (4):100080.
[17] 王潇璇,卢文栋,徐春祥.一维ZnO核壳结构的精准构建和光电功能 [J]. 发光学报, 2025,46(3):383-398. Wang X X, Lu W D, Xu C X. Precise preparation and optoelectronic function of one-dimensional ZnO core-shell structure [J]. Chinese Journal of Luminescence, 2025,46(3):383-398.
[18] Zhang H, Yang Z, Cao E, et al. Direct activation and hydrophobic modification of biomass-derived hierarchical porous carbon for toluene adsorption under high humidity [J]. Chemical Engineering Journal, 2024,490:151817.
[19] Wang Y C, Yang L, Liu J, et al. In situ dual-utilize of ZnCl₂for preparation of ZIF-8functionalized biomass-based porous carbon for adsorption removal of volatile organic compounds [J]. Chemical Engineering Journal, 2024,500:157540.
[20] Xiao J, Diao K D, Zheng Z, et al. MOF-derived porous ZnO/Co₃O₄nanocomposites for high performance acetone gas sensing [J]. Journal of Materials Science. Materials in Electronics, 2018,29(10): 8535-8546.
[21] Yang W, Fang B J, Xiao X, et al. Hierarchical core-shell heterostructures of α-MoO₃ nanorods@NiO nanosheets for significant detection of ethyl acetate vapor [J]. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2022,358:131457.
[22] 罗翠线,李奇,黄玉蓉,等.基于钼掺杂氧化锌微米花的高灵敏和快响应丙酮气体传感器研究 [J]. 传感技术学报, 2024,37(7):1126- 1134. Luo C X, Li Q, Huang Y R, et al. High sensitivity and fast response acetone gas sensor based on molybdenum doped zinc oxide micron flower [J]. Chinese Journal of Sensors and Actuators, 2024,37(7): 1126-1134.
[23] Ebrahimifar M, Kazeminezhad I. Enhanced acetone gas sensor based on ZnCo₂O₄/rGO/Ag composite: morphology and concentration effects [J]. Materials Science & Engineering. B, Solid-state Materials for Advanced Technology, 2025,322:118587.
[24] Liu W L, Yang Z W, Zhang H, et al. Au-functionalized ZnFe₂O₄ spheres for acetone sensors with high response and low detection limit [J]. Vacuum, 2025,238:114315.
[25] Liu N, Bu W Y, Zhou Y, et al. Hetero-interface enabled highly responsive acetone gas sensor based on MOF-derived Co₃O₄/In₂O₃ composite [J]. Vacuum, 2025,233:113974.
[26] Juang F R, Tsai M C. Development of an acetone gas sensor based on SnO₂-CeO₂ nanostructures with enhanced sensitivity at low temperature [J]. Materials Science & Engineering. B, Solid-State Materials for Advanced Technology, 2025,321:118494.
[27] Wang L, Huang H L, Zhang D D, et al. Highly sensitive triethylamine sensors enabled by Co₃O₄/ZnO p-n heterojunctions [J]. Applied Surface Science, 2025,699:163092.
[28] Yin X T, Zhou W D, Dastan D V, et al. Selectivity sensing response of ZnO-xCo₃O₄ based sensor to CO against CH₄ [J]. Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing, 2022,149:106883.
[29] Zhou Y T, Jia X H, Qiao L, et al. Highly sensitive and moisture resistance ethanol gas sensor based on ZIF-8derived ZnO@C-ZIF composite [J]. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2025,444:138481.
[30] 杨俊超,潘勇,秦墨林,等.金属氧化物半导体气敏传感器研究进展 [J]. 化学传感器, 2022,42(2):10-18. Yang J C, Pan Y, Qin M L, et al. Research progress of metal oxide semiconductor gas sensor [J]. Chemical Sensors, 2022,42(2):10-18.
[31] Cheng Q L, Wang X D, Huang D D, et al. Highly sensitive and fast response acetone gas sensor based on Co₃O₄-ZnO heterojunction assembled by porous nanoflowers [J]. Journal of Materials Science. Materials in Electronics, 2023,34(2):128.
[32] Cao G L, Hui G Z, Liu Y. Enhancing toluene gas sensing performance using Co₃O₄/ZnO hollow porous flower-like material [J]. Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing, 2024,180:108549.
[33] Wan Y Z, Liu Y P, Huang Y X, et al. Realizing fast response speed and enhanced selectivity for ethanol gas sensors with Au modified NiO/ZnO heterostructures [J]. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2025,444:138521.
[34] Zhu M C, Chen G L, Song K, et al. Dual-selectivity and high- sensitivity sensor for dibutylamine and diisopropylamine detection using ZnO nanoparticles with tetragonal dipyramidal morphology [J]. Applied Surface Science, 2025,701:163322.
[35] Chen M, Li X, Li Y X, et al. MOF-derived Co₃O₄ nanoparticles over direct grown ZnO nanoflower on ceramic for CO sensor with high selectivity [J]. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2024,401:134951.
[36] Wang G D, Chen T Y, Guo L L, et al. Chemiresistive n-butanol gas sensors based on Co₃O₄@ZnO hollow-sphere-array thin films prepared by template-assisted magnetron sputtering [J]. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2024,413:135862.
[37] Mo Y F, Shi F, Qin S W, et al. Facile fabrication of mesoporous hierarchical Co-doped ZnO for highly sensitive ethanol detection [J]. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 2019,58(19):8061- 8071.
[38] Dhariwal N, Yadav P, Panda S, et al. Highly sensitive and selective room temperature triethylamine gas sensor based on novel BiOCl/ZnO heterojunction [J]. Chemical Engineering Journal (Lausanne, Switzerland: 1996), 2025:167086.
[39] 寇永康,党小庆,曹利,等.氧化镁掺杂改性活性炭的制备及其对彩板印刷VOCs废气的吸附性能及机理 [J]. 环境工程学报, 2024, 18(6):1559-1569. Kou Y K, Dang X Q, Cao L, et al. Preparation of magnesium oxide doped modified activated carbon and its adsorption properties and mechanism toward color plates printing VOCs [J]. Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2024,18(6):1559-1569.
[40] Guo J X, He S L, Liu X X, et al. Hydrophobic modification of walnut shell biomass-derived porous carbon for the adsorption of VOCs at high humidity [J]. Chemical Engineering Journal (Lausanne, Switzerland: 1996), 2024,488:150792.