Efficient detection of triethylamine by In2O3@Co3O4 core-shell nanofibers synthesized by coaxial electrospinning

Based on the absolute superiority and synergistic effect of nanostructures and p-n heterostructures in the gas sensing process, In₂O₃@Co₃O₄ core-shell nanofibers (CSNFs) were synthesized by the advanced coaxial electrospinning process. Through a series of characterization tests, it is confirmed that nanofibers with clear core-shell structure and unique heterogeneous interface have been synthesized in this study. In order to prove its application value in the field of sensing, its gas sensing performance was systematically studied. The test results show that the In₂O₃@Co₃O₄ CSNFs gas sensor has excellent selectivity for triethylamine (TEA). At 120 °C, the response value to 50 ppm TEA reached 40.5, which was 13.5 times that of pure In₂O₃ nanofibers. Additionally, the sensor has superior reproducibility and rapid response recovery ability (7 s/4 s). This is mainly because of the good permeability of the porous core-shell structure and the electron transfer between p-n heterojunctions. The sensing sensitization mechanism of In₂O₃@Co₃O₄ CSNFs is explained in detail by combining the sensing mechanism model and density functional theory (DFT) calculation. This study provides useful reference and inspiration for the design and preparation of high-performance sensors, and promotes the development and innovation of sensor technology.