γ-Fe2O3-Based MEMS Gas Sensor for Propane Detection

The selective detection of propane gas molecules using semiconductor gas sensors has always been a challenge within research. In this study, we successfully synthesized a γ-Fe2O3 nanomaterial with a selective catalytic effect on propane and loaded it onto a ZnO sensing material to construct a double-layer microsensor, which showed good sensing response characteristics in the detection of the refrigerant R290 (which is mainly propane). In addition, we also prepared a series of iron oxides, including nanomaterials such as α-Fe2O3, Fe3O4, and FeO, as well as γ-Fe2O3 materials with different specific surface areas obtained at various processing temperatures, and we carried out gas sensing research on R290. The results show that the γ-Fe2O3 material has a better sensitivity to R290, and the γ-Fe2O3 material calcined at 200 °C shows the best performance. Our results can provide a theoretical basis for the design and optimization of semiconductor gas sensors for alkane detection.