Precipitated cobalt doped ZnO nanoparticles with enhanced low temperature xylene sensing properties

Metal oxide nanoparticles are fabricated by co-precipitation method. The structural, morphological, optical and room temperature magnetic studies are discussed and outlined the end results along with sensing properties of ZnO and Co doped ZnO nanoparticles. Further, insights of theoretical and experimental aspects analogous with such systems are also discussed. Photoluminescence property indicates that cobalt doping improves the formation of Oxygen species which results in the enhancement of the magnetism and sensor response. The sensitive and selective detection of p-Xylene, particularly distinguishing between Ethanol and Acetone can be attributed to the tuned catalytic activity of Cobalt components, which induce preferential dissociation of p-Xylene into more active species, as well as the substantial increase of resistance with the variation in the nearby chemical environment because of large formation of Schottky barriers. This confirms that Co doped ZnO nanoparticles found to be a good candidate for detecting p-Xylene gas at low concentrations as well as at low optimum temperature. •Uncomplicated and cost-effective way of synthesizing ZnO nanoparticles is via co-precipitation technique.•Complete morphology transformation was noticed while transition metal Cobalt is doped into ZnO.•The rise in ferromagnetic component of cobalt in ZnO is due to the rise in oxygen vacancies which is realized by PL study.•As prepared ZnO nanoparticles showed exemplary response and good selectivity to xylene at a low operating temperature.•At semiconductor surface Xylene chemisorptions facilitated by catalytic activity of Co ions and due to oxygen vacancies.•Co-doped ZnO based sensor is a promising candidate for effective Xylene detection in various applications.