Highly selective ethanol sensing properties of hydrothermally synthesized cerium orthovanadate (CeVO4) nanorods

CeVO4 nanorods were synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method. Active sites on the sensor's surface were provided by acidic media to the precursor solution. GaS sensor based on CeVO4 nanorods exhibits significant response towards ethanol with high selectivity, below the breadth analyzer limit (200 ppm) at the optimum working temperature of 250 degrees C. Redox based conduction model of semiconductors is used to explain this promising sensing behavior and a suitable sensing mechanism is also established. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.