Combustion synthesis of magnesium ferrite as liquid petroleum gas (LPG) sensor: Effect of sintering temperature

We report synthesis of Spinel type magnesium ferrite (MgFe2O4) material by a simple, inexpensive combustion method with glycine as a fuel and their application as a gas sensor for reducing gases (LPG, Acetone, Ethanol, Ammonia). The dependence of reducing gas sensing properties on the structural and surface morphological properties has been studied as an effect of sintering temperatures. The structural and surface morphological properties were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The MgFe2O4 were highly oriented along (311) with the spinel type crystal structure. The SEM observation reveals that porous morphology decreases due to the grain growth as sintering temperature increases. The mechanism of reducing gas sensing by the MgFe2O4 pellets is explained on the basis of adsorbed oxygen on the sensor surface. The selectivity and maximum response of 71% to 2000 ppm of LPG was observed at 698 K with the (MgFe2O4) material sintered at 1173 K.

► Synthesis of MgFe2O4 by combustion method and reducing gas sensing properties.
► The influence of sintering temperature on the gas sensing properties of MgFe2O4.
► Improvement in selectivity of MgFe2O4 to LPG with sintering temperature.
► Potential ability of MgFe2O4 to detect different reducing gases.