ABSTRACT
CeO2-Co3 O4 composite nanofibers were prepared by the double jets electrospinning method. The nanofibers were then deposited onto the surface of a ω-type heating coil as cataluminescence material to prepare a new cataluminescence ( CTL ) type formaldehyde gas sensor. The crystalline phase and microstructure of CeO2-Co3 O4 composite nanofibers were characterized by X-ray diffraction ( XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the cataluminescence mechanism and electrochemical characteristic of formaldehyde on the surface of CeO2-Co3 O4 nanofibers were analyzed by H2 temperature programmed reduction (H2-TPR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Under the optimal conditions (500 nm of wavelength, 0. 2 L/ min of flow rate and 550℃), there was a good relationship between the CTL intensity of this formaldehyde gas sensor (Ce30) and formaldehyde concentration in the range of 1. 2 -50 μg / m3 , the sensitivity was 40. 04 a. u. / (μg / m3 ), the detection limit was 1. 2 μg / m3 , the dynamic response time and recover time of formaldehyde gas were 2. 4 s and 3. 5 s, respectively. The formaldehyde sensor was successfully applied to the determination of formaldehyde in the automotive exhaust, with relative errors of 0. 39% -1. 07% and relative standard deviations of less than 3% .