Synthesis of yttrium trioxide (Y2O3) nanoparticles and investigations of its humidity sensing properties

Abstract

The metal oxide nonmaterial is potential candidates for sensor applications. The Yttrium Trioxide found many applications in many fields. Yttrium Trioxide (Y2O3) were synthesized by sol-gel synthesis and structurally characterized by XRD and SEM techniques. The X-ray diffraction confirms the formation of cubic phase crystalline Y2O3 structure. The SEM images of Y2O3 confirm the formation of irregular plate like structure with random grain orientation. The humidity sensing properties of Y2O3 was studied in the range of 10- 97% RH. The pellet form Y2O3 humidity sensor device is exposed to different RH levels. The Y2O3 shows excellent response time of 60 s and as well as recovery time of 80 s at room temperature. These results indicate that, Y2O3 nano structure humidity sensor can be used as a potential device for industrial applications.