# ZnCo2O4‑Based Nanoparticle Sensor for 1‑Pentanol Detection

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a new nanoparticle sensor made of ZnCo2O4 that can efficiently detect 1-pentanol, a harmful microbial volatile compound.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is the development of a single-phase cubic ZnCo2O4 nanoparticle sensor with high selectivity for 1-pentanol detection.

## Key findings

- ZnCo2O4 nanoparticles were successfully synthesized without impurities.
- The sensor showed 83.6% response to 100 ppm 1-pentanol at 300°C.
- The material demonstrated high selectivity for 1-pentanol over other volatile compounds.

## Abstract

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 Trichothecium roseum and Staphylococcus
aureus 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.