Abstract
Herein, alpha-Fe2O3 nanocubes were synthesized, characterized and employed as functional and promising material for the development of ethanol gas sensor. Facile hydrothermal process was used to synthesized the nanocubes and characterized by several techniques which confirmed the large-quantity synthesis, well-crystallinity with rhombohedral structure of alpha-Fe2O3. The Raman-scattering spectrum of the synthesized nanocubes exhibited several Raman-active modes which further confirmed the formation of pure alpha-Fe2O3. As a functional material, the synthesized alpha-Fe2O3 nanocubes were used as electrode material to fabricate ethanol gas sensor which was tested at various working temperatures, i.e., 300 degrees C, 400 degrees C and 450 degrees C which revealed that the 400 degrees C was the optimal working temperature. Thus, at 400 degrees C working temperature, in presence of 100 ppm ethanol gas, the fabricated sensor exhibited highest gas response of 1.69 with response time <1 s and recovery time of 1485 s.