CO and C 3

ZnSb2O6 has been synthesized by a microwave-assisted solution method in order to test its possible application as a gas sensor. Zinc nitrate, antimony trichloride, and ethylenediamine were used as precursors and deionized water as solvent. Microwave radiation, with a power of ~350 W, was applied for solvent evaporation. The thermal decomposition of the precursors leads to the formation of ZnSb2O6 at 600°C. This oxide crystallized in a tetragonal structure with cell parameters a=4.66 Å, c=9.26 Å and space group P42/mnm. Microwires and microrods formed by nanocrystals were observed by means of scanning and transmission electron microscopies (SEM and TEM, resp.). Pellets of the oxide were tested as gas sensors in flowing atmospheres of carbon monoxide (CO) and propane (C3H8). Sensitivity increased with the gas concentration (0–300 ppm) and working temperatures (ambient, 150 and 250°C) increase. The results indicate high sensitivity of ZnSb2O6 in both gases at different concentrations and operating temperatures

Synthesis of ZnAl2O4 and Evaluation of the Response in Propane Atmospheres of Pellets and Thick Films Manufactured with Powders of the Oxide

ZnAl2O4 nanoparticles were synthesized employing a colloidal method. The oxide powders were obtained at 300 °C, and their crystalline phase was corroborated by X-ray diffraction. The composition and chemical structure of the ZnAl2O4 was carried out by X-ray and photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The optical properties were studied by UV-vis spectroscopy, confirming that the ZnAl2O4 nanoparticles had a direct transition with bandgap energy of 3.2 eV. The oxide’s microstructures were microbars of ~18.2 nm in size (on average), as analyzed by scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopies. Dynamic and stationary gas detection tests were performed in controlled propane atmospheres, obtaining variations concerning the concentration of the test gas and the operating temperature. The optimum temperatures for detecting propane concentrations were 200 and 300 °C. In the static test results, the ZnAl2O4 showed increases in propane response since changes in the material’s electrical conductance were recorded (conductance = 1/electrical resistance, Ω). The increases were ~2.8 at 200 °C and ~7.8 at 300 °C. The yield shown by the ZnAl2O4 nanoparticles for detecting propane concentrations was optimal compared to other similar oxides categorized as potential gas sensors

Preparation of Powders Containing Sb, Ni, and O for the Design of a Novel CO and C3H8 Sensor

In this work, powders of NiSb2O6 were synthesized using a simple and economical microwave-assisted wet chemistry method, and calcined at 700, 800, and 900 °C. It was identified through X-ray diffraction that the oxide is a nanomaterial with a trirutile-type structure and space group P42/mnm (136). UV–Vis spectroscopy measurements showed that the bandgap values were at ~3.10, ~3.14, and ~3.23 eV at 700, 800, and 900 °C, respectively. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), irregularly shaped polyhedral microstructures with a size of ~154.78 nm were observed on the entire material’s surface. The particle size was estimated to average ~92.30 nm at the calcination temperature of 900 °C. Sensing tests in static atmospheres containing 300 ppm of CO at 300 °C showed a maximum sensitivity of ~72.67. On the other hand, in dynamic atmospheres at different CO flows and at an operating temperature of 200 °C, changes with time in electrical resistance were recorded, showing a high response, stability, and repeatability, and good sensor efficiency during several operation cycles. The response times were ~2.77 and ~2.10 min to 150 and 200 cm3/min of CO, respectively. Dynamic tests in propane (C3H8) atmospheres revealed that the material improved its response in alternating current signals at two different frequencies (0.1 and 1 kHz). It was also observed that at 360 °C, the ability to detect propane flows increased considerably. As in the case of CO, NiSb2O6’s response in propane atmospheres showed very good thermal stability, efficiency, a high capacity to detect C3H8, and short response and recovery times at both frequencies. Considering the great performance in propane flows, a sensor prototype was developed that modulates the electrical signals at 360 °C, verifying the excellent functionality of NiSb2O6

Gas Sensing Properties of NiSb 2

Micro- and nanoparticles of NiSb2O6 were synthesized by the microwave-assisted colloidal method. Nickel nitrate, antimony chloride, ethylenediamine, and ethyl alcohol were used. The oxide was obtained at 600°C and was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy, showing a trirutile-type structure with cell parameters a = 4.641 Å, c = 9.223 Å, and a space group P42/mnm (136). Average crystal size was estimated at ~31.19 nm, according to the XRD-peaks. The microstructure was scrutinized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), observing microrods measuring ~3.32 μm long and ~2.71 μm wide, and microspheres with an average diameter of ~8 μm; the size of the particles shaping the microspheres was measured in the range of ~0.22 to 1.8 μm. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that nanoparticles were obtained with sizes in the range of 2 to 20 nm (~10.7 nm on average). Pellets made of oxide’s powders were tested in propane (C3H8) and carbon monoxide (CO) atmospheres at different concentrations and temperatures. The response of the material increased significantly as the temperature and the concentration of the test gases rose. These results show that NiSb2O6 may be a good candidate for gas sensing applications

Vision-Based Nonlinear Control of Quadrotors Using the Photogrammetric Technique

This paper presents a controller designed via the backstepping technique, for the tracking of a reference trajectory obtained via the photogrammetric technique. The dynamic equations used to represent the motion of the quadrotor helicopter are based on the Newton–Euler model. The resulting quadrotor model has been divided into four subsystems for the altitude, longitudinal, lateral, and yaw motions. A control input is designed for each subsystem. Furthermore, the photogrammetric technique has been used to obtain the reference trajectory to be tracked. The performance and effectiveness of the proposed nonlinear controllers have been tested via numerical simulations using the Pixhawk Pilot Support Package developed for Matlab/Simulink

Sensitivity Tests of Pellets Made from Manganese Antimonate Nanoparticles in Carbon Monoxide and Propane Atmospheres

Nanoparticles of manganese antimonate (MnSb2O6) were prepared using the microwave-assisted colloidal method for its potential application as a gas sensor. For the synthesis of the oxide, manganese nitrate, antimony chloride, ethylenediamine and ethyl alcohol (as a solvent) were used. The precursor material was calcined at 800 °C in air and analyzed by X-ray diffraction. The oxide crystallized into a hexagonal structure with spatial group P321 and cell parameters a = b = 8.8054 Å and c = 4.7229 Å. The microstructure of the material was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), finding the growth of microrods with a size of around ~10.27 μm and some other particles with an average size of ~1.3 μm. Photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) studies showed that the optical energy band (Eg) of the oxide was of ~1.79 eV. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses indicated that the size of the nanoparticles was of ~29.5 nm on average. The surface area of the powders was estimated at 14.6 m2/g by the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method. Pellets prepared from the nanoparticles were tested in carbon monoxide (CO) and propane (C3H8) atmospheres at different concentrations (0–500 ppm) and operating temperatures (100, 200 and 300 °C). The pellets were very sensitive to changes in gas concentration and temperature: the response of the material rose as the concentration and temperature increased. The results showed that the MnSb2O6 nanoparticles can be a good candidate to be used as a novel gas sensor