Effect of Lanthanides on Acetone Sensing Properties of LnFeO3 Nanofibers (Ln = La, Nd, and Sm)

LnFeO ₃ (Ln = La, Nd, and Sm) nanofibers are synthesized by the electrospinning, and characterized by X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. For investigating the effect of lanthanide on acetone sensing properties of LnFeO ₃ nanofibers, the side-heating gas sensors based on LnFeO ₃ nanofibers are fabricated and measured at different temperatures and acetone concentrations. The optimal working temperatures of the LnFeO ₃ gas sensors are all 140 °C. When the LnFeO ₃ gas sensors are exposed to 100 ppm and acetone at 140 °C, the SmFeO ₃ sensor exhibits the largest sensing response (Response = 9.98) compared with LaFeO ₃ and NdFeO ₃ gas sensors, and the response and recovery times of SmFeO ₃ sensor are about 17 and 16 s, respectively. The results indicate that the lanthanides have an impact on the acetone sensing properties of LnFeO ₃ , and the lanthanide with low binding energy of the Ln-O bond is beneficial for improving the acetone sensing properties of LnFeO ₃ .