Chemiresistive La-doped BaTiO3 microspheres for ambient-temperature formaldehyde gas sensing

Volatile organic compounds pose an acute threat to the environment and human life. Formaldehyde, a well-known volatile organic compound known for its numerous commercial applications, has put forth the requirement for tracking down trace amounts of its presence in order to ensure healthier living. This work emphasizes the novel use of a non-toxic deep eutectic solvent medium (choline chloride and urea) for aiding the solid-state synthesis of pure and La-doped barium titanate. The prepared chemiresistive ceramics were verified for their gas sensing abilities towards a number of volatile organics, among which formaldehyde (100 ppm) showed amplified response of 118 in La-doped BTO modified gold interdigitated electrode. It also produced a rapid response-recovery rate of 12 sec/18 sec witnessing the extreme performance of La-doped BTO ceramic material. Additionally, the chemiresistive sensor was stable to humidity and had extended-shelf life.