Highly responsive and stable room temperature acetic acid gas sensor based on nano-composite of MXene Ti3C2TX-NiCo2O4-MnO2

Designing novel acetic acid gas sensors is highly imperative for human health. Two-dimensional (2D) layered MXene Ti3C2Tx is becoming an emerging and promising material in gas sensing. In this manuscript, the hydrothermal method was used to synthesize MXenes Ti3C2Tx/Nb2CTx supported NiCo2O4-MnO2 composites and pure materials. The structure, chemical composition and morphology of the samples were studied by SEM, EDS, TEM, HRTEM, XRD, BET, FTIR, UV–visible, XPS and Raman, justifying the successful synthesis of products. The layered structure of Ti3C2Tx enhanced the BET surface area and provided sufficient sites, which assisted the gas sensing improvement. The gas sensors were fabricated from synthesized products and were tested for different kinds of VOCs deeply. The results exposed that the gas sensor of Ti3C2Tx-NiCo2O4-MnO2 (5 % of Ti3C2Tx = NCO-Mn-Ti-5) was highly sensitive to 20 ppm acetic acid and very less responsive to all other VOCs (acetone, TMA, ethanol, methanol, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetylene and xylene) at room temperature. The response (Rg/Ra) to 20 ppm acetic acid was 12.5 and the lowest detection limit was 0.05 ppm. Additionally, the sensor of NCO-Mn-Ti-5 revealed great stability/reproducibility, short response/recovery times and linearity between acetic acid concentration and response. The idea of the novel sensor (NCO-Mn-Ti-5) could be potentially useful in the field of sensors. [Display omitted] •Novel sensors based on MXenes and MnO2-NiCo2O4 were synthesized hydrothermally.•Highest response of 12.5–20 ppm acetic acid was checked by the sensor of NCO-Mn-Ti-5.•Ppb level acetic acid sensing due to the addition of MXene Ti3C2Tx with MnO2-NiCo2O4.•Layered structure of Ti3C2Tx and spherical structure of MnO2-NiCo2O4 was studied by SEM/TEM/EDS.