Our objective is to present a valuable contribution towards designing more efficient sensors using undoped ZnO nanofils. The utilization of nanostructures based on ZnO has shown significant enhancements in sensor performance due to the excellent chemical and thermal stability exhibited at its high melting temperature.

In our work, we focused on modeling the behavior of ZnO semiconductors by employing the Schottky defect model as a source of free carriers. Specifically, we examined the theoretical model of oxygen molecule adsorption and desorption. We explored two types of molecules responsible for adsorbing reducing gases, taking acetone gas as an example. Through the use of the Comsol software, we found that the interaction between the solid and gas occurs at a considerably lower temperature of 295 °C, compared to ZnO thin films, which typically require temperatures as high as 500 °C. This outcome can be attributed to the behavior of ZnO nanostructures, where the influence of side surfaces (101 ̅0) is predominant, along with their lower activation energy compared to (0002) surfaces. These ZnO nanofils exhibit numerous active and thermodynamically favorable surfaces, which facilitate the adsorption of reducing gases. Employing simulation methods, such as Comsol, offers an effective approach for achieving optimal device design, thereby ensuring superior device performance. This research demonstrates the potential of using undoped ZnO nanofils for the development of highly efficient sensors with enhanced operational characteristics.