Synthesis, Characterization, and m‐Xylene Sensing Properties of Co–ZnO Composite Nanofibers

Co–ZnO composite nanofibers (0, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 wt%) are synthesized by electrospinning and calcination techniques. The fiber diameters are found to decrease by increasing the Co content in the ZnO nanofibers. The m‐xylene sensing properties of the ZnO nanofibers are effectively enhanced with appropriate Co amount. The best sensing properties are found based on the 0.4 wt% Co–ZnO composite nanofibers at 320°C. The corresponding response is up to 14.8 when the sensor is exposed to 100 ppm m‐xylene, and the response and recovery times are about 4 and 6 s, respectively. Moreover, excellent selectivity is also observed in the sensing investigation. The results make Co–ZnO composite nanofibers good candidates for fabricating high performance m‐xylene sensors.