Visible light-induced, highly responsive, below lower explosive limit (LEL) LPG sensor based on hydrothermally synthesized barium hexaferrite nanorods

Abstract Here, the photo-enhanced behavior in LPG sensing of hydrothermally synthesized BaFe12O19 nanorods at room temperature under visible light radiation has been thoroughly inspected and reported. The sensing element is observed to be poorly responsive towards LPG in dark conditions at room temperature, while it reveals a good photo response in presence of visible light of 30 mW/cm2, and the visible light aids in improving the LPG sensing response up to a great extent at room temperature. Under the irradiation, the nanorods are found to detect the presence of LPG molecules of concentration as small as 0.5 vol% at the response and recovery times ~5.02 s and ~10.10 s respectively. The sensitivity of the visible-light induced material was evaluated ~41.27 sensor response/vol% with the maximum sensor response as high as 108, whereas, in dark, the same material showed a maximum response of ~6.64 with a sensitivity of merely 1.94 sensor response/vol%. The photo-generated carriers are suggested to be responsible for achieving a significant, stable, fast response in presence of LPG. This is the first ferrite based visible light-induced LPG sensor.