Synthesis of nano barium zirconate (BaZrO3) and its gas sensing performance using thick film

Nano powder of pure Barium Zirconate was prepared by wet-chemistry synthesis method, using Barium Stearate and Tetra-n-Butyl Zirconate as Ba, Zr sources and Stearic acid as complexing reagent. The gel was calcined at 1100 °C in air. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED) and UV Visible spectrograph were used to characterize the crystallization pr°Cess, to study the particle size and morphology of the calcined powder. The results indicated that Barium Zirconate nanopowder with particle size between 19 nm to 79 nm obtained after calcinations of the dried gel at 1100 °C for 1h. Gas sensing performance of this Nano powder using thick films showed maximum sensitivity to NH3 gas at 200°C for 100 ppm gas concentration as compared to other gases like H2S, CO, CO2, Cl2, Ethanol, H2 etc.