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Polyaniline nanoparticle–carbon nanotube hybrid network vapour sensors with switchable chemo-electrical polarity

Jianbo Lu1, Bong Jun Park2, Bijandra Kumar1, Mickaël Castro1, Hyoung Jin Choi2 and Jean-François Feller1

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Chemo-resistive sensors were prepared from monodisperse poly(aniline) nanoparticles (PaniNP) synthesized via oxidative dispersion polymerization. Poly(styrene sulfonic acid) (PSSA) was used as the stabilizer and dopant agent. PaniNP transducers were assembled by spraying layer by layer a solution containing different concentrations of PaniNP and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNT) onto interdigitated electrodes. This process led to stable sensors with reproducible responses upon chemical cycling. Chemo-electrical properties of these sensors have been investigated in sequential flows of pure nitrogen and nitrogen saturated with a set of volatile organic compounds (VOC). Interestingly the sensing mode of PaniNP transducers (the NVC or PVC effect) can be switched simply by increasing PaniNP content or by the addition of only 0.5% of MWNT to reach a resistance lower than 150 Ω. Due to their original conducting architecture well imaged by atomic force microscopy (AFM), i.e. a double percolated conductive network, PaniNP–MWNT hybrids present both higher sensitivity and selectivity than other formulations, demonstrating a positive synergy. Mechanisms are proposed to describe the original chemo-electrical behaviours of PaniNP-based sensors and explain the origin of their selectivity and sensing principle. These features make them attractive to be integrated in e-noses.


PACS

07.07.Df Sensors (chemical, optical, electrical, movement, gas, etc.); remote sensing

81.16.Be Chemical synthesis methods

85.35.Kt Nanotube devices

07.07.Mp Transducers

81.07.Wx Nanopowders

82.35.Np Nanoparticles in polymers

Subjects

Soft matter, liquids and polymers

Electronics and devices

Instrumentation and measurement

Nanoscale science and low-D systems

Chemical physics and physical chemistry

Dates

Issue 25 (25 June 2010)

Received 30 November 2009, in final form 29 April 2010

Published 28 May 2010



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