Development of sensitive carbon disulfide sensor by using its cataluminescence on nanosized-CeO2

When carbon disulfide (CS2) was passing through the surface of nanosized-CeO2 (nano-CeO2), strong chemiluminescence (CL) emission was observed. Based on this phenomenon, a novel sensitive gas sensor was demonstrated for the determination of CS2. The luminescence characteristics and optimal parameters, such as the morphology of the CeO2, wavelength, temperature and the flow rate of carrier gas, were investigated in detail. Under the optimal conditions, the CL intensity versus the concentration of CS2 was linear in the range of 0.9–12.6 μg mL−1, with a linear correlation coefficient (R) of 0.999 and a limit of detection (S/N = 3) of 3.7 ng mL−1 for CS2. The relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) for the determination of 3.6 μg mL−1 CS2 was 1.2% (n = 5). There is no or weak response to foreign substances, such as alcohol (methanol, ethanol, and n-butanol), aldehyde (formaldehyde and acetaldehyde), acetone, ethyl acetate, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, toluene, chlorobenzene, hexane and hydrogen sulfide. The stability and durability of the sensor were examined by sampling 7.2 μg mL−1 CS2 vapor into the sensor everyday for 3 h over two weeks, with a long-term R.S.D. of less than 6.0%. Finally, the proposed sensor was applied to the determination of CS2 in artificial air samples.