Study of the Effect of Gamma (γ) Rays on ZnO Thin Films Nanoparticles as a Gas Sensor for NO2
نویسندگان
1 Department of Physics, College of Education for Pure Sciences, University of Tikrit, Iraq
2 Department of Physics, College of Education for Pure Sciences, University of Tikrit, Iraq
3 Department of Physics, College of Science, Al–Muthanna University, Iraq
doi
10.22052/JNS.2025.03.048چکیده
In this work, we exposed thin films of zinc oxide ZnO nanoparticles, prepared on glass substrates by using the thermal spray pyrolysis technique, the gamma rays emitted from 60Co with an average energy of 1.25 MeV for different durations to NO2 detection gas. The XRD analysis revealed a hexagonal wurtzite structure in the thin films, and the increase irradiation time led to an increase in the grain size of the studied ZnO thin films at rates of 15.631, 14.950, and 14.314 nm. ZnO sensors showed highly sensitive responses to NO2 gas at a concentration of 100 ppm and a temperature of 70 C◦. Where the sensitivity before irradiation was equal to (22.81%). Observed that the sensitivity increased by rates of 81.89%, 75.18%, 181.4%, and 242.4% with increased irradiation time. Additionally, radiation exposure reduced the recovery time of the ZnO thin film from 6.039 seconds to 3.111 seconds. Interpreted the improved sensitivity of zinc oxide sensors towards NO2 gas as a result of radiation-induced changes in surface morphology. These changes led to an increase in surface area and alterations in surface chemistry due to the presence of defects and an abundance of oxygen and zinc vacancies.
