Discharge fault detection of dry air switchgear based on ZnO-MoS₂ gas sensor

Abstract When discharge faults occur in dry air switchgear, the air decomposes to produce diverse gases, with NO 2 reaching the highest levels. Detecting the NO 2 level can reflect the operation status of the equipment. This paper proposes to combine ZnO cluster with MoS 2 to improve the gas-sensitive properties of the monolayer. Based on the Density Functional Theory (DFT), the effect of (ZnO) n size on the behavior of MoS 2 is considered. Key parameters such as adsorption energy and band gap of (ZnO) n -MoS 2 /NO 2 system were calculated. The ZnO-MoS 2 heterojunction was successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal method. The gas sensor exhibits a remarkable response and a fast response-recovery time to 100 ppm NO 2 . In addition, it demonstrates excellent selectivity, long-term stability and a low detection limit. This work confirms the potential of the ZnO-MoS 2 composite structure as a highly effective gas sensor for NO 2 detection, which provides valuable theoretical and experimental insights for fault detection in dry air switchgear.