ZnCo ₂ O ₄ -Based Nanoparticle Sensor for 1-Pentanol Detection

When microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) interact with humans, they can be harmful to health, causing irritation and discomfort. Additionally, they act as biomarkers for diseases. Despite the significance of this topic, there are still few detection tests available. This work explores the sensitive detection of MVOCs using semiconductor metal oxide (SMO). Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the use of the monophase bimetallic structure ZnCo₂O₄ as a gas-sensing material for 1-pentanol detection, an MVOC that <i>Trichothecium roseum</i> and <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> can produce. The study focused on analyzing the effect of a ZnCo₂O₄ nanostructure on enhancing the gas-sensing properties toward MVOCs detection. The material was prepared via microwave-assisted solvothermal processing and subsequently calcined at 300 °C to obtain a single-phase cubic ZnCo₂O₄. Characterization using XRD and FTIR revealed that the sample based on a bimetallic structure of ZnCo₂O₄ was successfully synthesized free of impurities, including the formation of undesired phases. Its performance as an MVOC sensor was analyzed for different volatiles, including 1-pentanol, 2-butanone, acetone, benzene, m-xylene, and toluene. The sensor demonstrated a higher selectivity for 1-pentanol, exhibiting the highest response of 83.6% to 1-pentanol (100 ppm) at 300 °C. Thus, this work presents an efficient method for producing single-phase cubic ZnCo₂O₄-based nanoparticles and demonstrates that this material exhibits enhanced sensing properties for the detection of 1-pentanol.