Robust trimethylamine detection using CeO2-coated MoO3 nanobelts under interfering complex odorous volatile organic compounds

Effective monitoring of trimethylamine (TMA) is critical for environmental and industrial safety. However, selective detection remains a significant challenge due to the interference from various gases in complex odorous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) environments. Herein, we developed a highly sensitive and selective chemiresistive gas sensor using a CeO 2 -coated MoO 3 nanobelts synthesized through a facile hydrothermal method. Coating CeO 2 nanoparticles onto MoO 3 nanobelts increased the specific surface area and created abundant oxygen vacancies, thereby enhancing surface reactivity. Consequently, the optimized sensor (0.06 wt% Ce precursor) exhibited a remarkable response of 1729.6% to 500 ppb TMA, more than 150 times higher than that of pristine MoO 3 , with an ultra-low limit of detection of 3 ppb and a response time of 5 s. Furthermore, the sensor demonstrated exceptional long-term stability over 66 days. The device also displayed superior resistive interference capabilities, effectively detecting TMA gas under exposure to complex gas mixtures containing high concentrations of sulfides, nitrides, and aldehyde VOC. Our findings is a promising candidate for precise, real-time odor-monitoring systems.