Abstract
As an excellent room temperature sensing material, polyaniline (PANI) needs to be further investigated in the field of high sensitivity and sustainable gas sensors due to its long recovery time and difficulty to complete recovery. The ZnO/PANI film with p–n heterogeneous energy levels have successfully prepared by spraying ZnO nanorod synthesized by hydrothermal method on the PANI film rapidly synthesized at the gas—liquid interface. The presence of p–n heterogeneous energy levels enables the ZnO/PANI film to detect 0.1–100 ppm (1 ppm = 10−6) NH3 at room temperature with the response value to 100 ppm NH3 doubled (12.96) and the recovery time shortened to 1/5 (31.2 s). The ability of high response and fast recovery makes the ZnO/PANI film to be able to detect NH3 at room temperature continuously. It provides a new idea for PANI to prepare sustainable room temperature sensor and promotes the development of room temperature sensor in public safety.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Tanguy N R, Thompson M, Yan N. A review on advances in application of polyaniline for ammonia detection. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2018, 257: 1044–1064
Love C, Nazemi H, El-Masri E, et al. A review on advanced sensing materials for agricultural gas sensors. Sensors, 2021, 21: 3423
Liu X, Zheng W, Kumar R, et al. Conducting polymer-based nanostructures for gas sensors. Coordination Chemistry Reviews, 2022, 462: 214517
Farea M A, Mohammed H Y, Shirsat S M, et al. Hazardous gases sensors based on conducting polymer composites. Chemical Physics Letters, 2021, 776: 138703
Beygisangchin M, Abdul Rashid S, Shafie S, et al. Preparations, properties, and applications of polyaniline and polyaniline thin films — a review. Polymers, 2021, 13(12): 2003
Laranjeira J M G, da Silva E F Jr, de Azevedo W M, et al. AFM studies of polyaniline nanofilms irradiated with gamma rays. Microelectronics Journal, 2003, 34(5–8): 511–513
Chabukswar V V, Pethkar S, Athawale A A. Acrylic acid doped polyaniline as an ammonia sensor. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2001, 77(3): 657–663
Zhang T, Qi H, Liao Z, et al. Engineering crystalline quasi-two-dimensional polyaniline thin film with enhanced electrical and chemiresistive sensing performances. Nature Communications, 2019, 10(1): 4225
Kukla A L, Shirshov Y M, Piletsky S A. Ammonia sensors based on sensitive polyaniline films. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 1996, 37(3): 135–140
Sengupta P P, Barik S, Adhikari B. Polyaniline as a gas-sensor material. Materials and Manufacturing Processes, 2006, 21(3): 263–270
Sun Y F, Liu S B, Meng F L, et al. Metal oxide nanostructures and their gas sensing properties: a review. Sensors, 2012, 12(3): 2610–2631
Zhang D L, Zhang J B, Guo Z, et al. Optical and electrical properties of zinc oxide thin films with low resistivity via Li-N dual-acceptor doping. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 2011, 509(20): 5962–5968
Murugadoss G. Synthesis and characterization of transition metals doped ZnO nanorods. Journal of Materials Science and Technology, 2012, 28(7): 587–593
Zhang J Y, Feng H B, Hao W C, et al. Luminescence of nanosized ZnO/polyaniline films prepared by self-assembly. Ceramics International, 2007, 33(5): 785–788
Ji L C, Huang L, Liu Y, et al. Optical and electrical properties of zinc oxide/indium/zinc oxide multilayer structures. Thin Solid Films, 2011, 519(11): 3789–3791
Li Z, Liu X, Zhou M, et al. Plasma-induced oxygen vacancies enabled ultrathin ZnO films for highly sensitive detection of triethylamine. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2021, 415: 125757
Kruefu V, Wisitsoraat A, Tuantranont A, et al. Gas sensing properties of conducting polymer/Au-loaded ZnO nanoparticle composite materials at room temperature. Nanoscale Research Letters, 2014, 9(1): 467
Das M, Sarkar D. One-pot synthesis of zinc oxide-polyaniline nanocomposite for fabrication of efficient room temperature ammonia gas sensor. Ceramics International, 2017, 43(14): 11123–11131
Gilja V, Živkovic I, Klaser T, et al. The impact of in situ polymerization conditions on the structures and properties of PANI/ZnO-based multiphase composite photocatalysts. Catalysts, 2020, 10(4): 400
Parangusan H, Bhadra J, Ahmad Z, et al. Humidity sensor based on poly(lactic acid)/PANI—ZnO composite electrospun fibers. RSC Advances, 2021, 11(46): 28735–28743
Patil S L, Chougule M A, Sen S, et al. Measurements on room temperature gas sensing properties of CSA doped polyaniline-ZnO nanocomposites. Measurement, 2012, 45(3): 243–249
Gao R, Cheng X L, Gao S, et al. Highly selective detection of saturated vapors of abused drugs by ZnO nanorod bundles gas sensor. Applied Surface Science, 2019, 485: 266–273
Liu C H, Tai H L, Zhang P, et al. A high-performance flexible gas sensor based on self-assembled PANI—CeO2 nanocomposite thin film for trace-level NH3 detection at room temperature. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2018, 261: 587–597
Kumar L, Rawal I, Kaur A, et al. Flexible room temperature ammonia sensor based on polyaniline. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2017, 240: 408–416
Li Y, Jiao M F, Zhao H J, et al. High performance gas sensors based on in-situ fabricated ZnO/polyaniline nanocomposite: the effect of morphology on the sensing properties. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2018, 264: 285–295
Wu Z, Sun X, Guo X, et al. Development of a rGO-BiVO4 heterojunction humidity sensor with boosted performance. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2021, 13(23): 27188–27199
Sarma T K, Chattopadhyay A. Reversible encapsulation of nanometer-size polyaniline and polyaniline—Au—nanoparticle composite in starch. Langmuir, 2004, 20(11): 4733–4737
Sharma B K, Gupta A K, Khare N, et al. Synthesis and characterization of polyaniline—ZnO composite and its dielectric behavior. Synthetic Metals, 2009, 159(5–6): 391–395
Dhingra M, Kumar L, Shrivastava S, et al. Impact of interfacial interactions on optical and ammonia sensing in zinc oxide/polyaniline structures. Bulletin of Materials Science, 2013, 36(4): 647–652
Altun B, Karaduman Er I, Çağirtekin A O, et al. Effect of Cd dopant on structural, optical and CO2 gas sensing properties of ZnO thin film sensors fabricated by chemical bath deposition method. Applied Physics A, 2021, 127(9): 687
Paul G K, Bhaumik A, Patra A S, et al. Enhanced photo-electric response of ZnO/polyaniline layer-by-layer self-assembled films. Materials Chemistry and Physics, 2007, 106(2–3): 360–363
Gayathri S, Jayabal P, Kottaisamy M, et al. Synthesis of ZnO decorated graphene nanocomposite for enhanced photocatalytic properties. Journal of Applied Physics, 2014, 115(17): 173504
Jain S, Karmakar N, Shah A, et al. Development of Ni doped ZnO/polyaniline nanocomposites as high response room temperature NO2 sensor. Materials Science and Engineering B, 2019, 247: 114381
Zhang J X, Liu C, Shi G Q. Raman spectroscopic study on the structural changes of polyaniline during heating and cooling processes. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 2005, 96(3): 732–739
Mažeikienė R, Tomkute V, Kuodis Z, et al. Raman spectroelectrochemical study of polyaniline and sulfonated polyaniline in solutions of different pH. Vibrational Spectroscopy, 2007, 44(2): 201–208
Jain M, Annapoorni S. Raman study of polyaniline nanofibers prepared by interfacial polymerization. Synthetic Metals, 2010, 160(15–16): 1727–1732
Cochet M, Louarn G, Quillard S, et al. Theoretical and experimental vibrational study of emeraldine in salt form. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, 2000, 31(12): 1041–1049
Pei Z X, Ding L Y, Lu M L, et al. Synergistic effect in polyaniline-hybrid defective ZnO with enhanced photocatalytic activity and stability. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 2014, 118(18): 9570–9577
Wu J M, Chen Y, Pan L, et al. Multi-layer monoclinic BiVO4 with oxygen vacancies and V4+ species for highly efficient visible-light photoelectrochemical applications. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 2018, 221: 187–195
Xu D M, Guan M Y, Xu Q H, et al. Multilayer films of layered double hydroxide/polyaniline and their ammonia sensing behavior. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2013, 262: 64–70
Chang Q F, Zhao K, Chen X, et al. Preparation of gold/polyaniline/multiwall carbon nanotube nanocomposites and application in ammonia gas detection. Journal of Materials Science, 2008, 43(17): 5861–5866
Zhu C, Dong X, Guo C, et al. Template-free synthesis of a wafer-sized polyaniline nanoscale film with high electrical conductivity for trace ammonia gas sensing. Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 2022, 10(22): 12150–12156
Pawar S G, Chougule M A, Patil S L, et al. Room temperature ammonia gas sensor based on polyaniline-TiO2 nanocomposite. IEEE Sensors Journal, 2011, 11(12): 3417–3423
Ansari M O, Khan M M, Ansari S A, et al. Enhanced thermoelectric performance and ammonia sensing properties of sulfonated polyaniline/graphene thin films. Materials Letters, 2014, 114: 159–162
Wu Z Q, Chen X D, Zhu S B, et al. Enhanced sensitivity of ammonia sensor using graphene/polyaniline nanocomposite. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2013, 178: 485–493
Wang C, Yang M, Liu L, et al. One-step synthesis of polypyrrole/Fe2O3 nanocomposite and the enhanced response of NO2 at low temperature. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2020, 560: 312–320
Deng Y C, Tang L, Zeng G M, et al. Enhanced visible light photocatalytic performance of polyaniline modified mesoporous single crystal TiO2 microsphere. Applied Surface Science, 2016, 387: 882–893
Zhu C, Cakmak U, Sheikhnejad O, et al. One step synthesis of PANI/Fe2O3 nanocomposites and flexible film for enhanced NH3 sensing performance at room temperature. Nanotechnology, 2019, 30(25): 255502
Perfecto T M, Zito C A, Volanti D P. Effect of NiS nanosheets on the butanone sensing performance of ZnO hollow spheres under humidity conditions. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2021, 334: 129684
Srivastava S, Kumar S, Singh V N, et al. Synthesis and characterization of TiO2 doped polyaniline composites for hydrogen gas sensing. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2011, 36(10): 6343–6355
Liu B H, Liu X Y, Yuan Z, et al. A flexible NO2 gas sensor based on polypyrrole/nitrogen-doped multiwall carbon nanotube operating at room temperature. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2019, 295: 86–92
Patil U V, Ramgir N S, Karmakar N, et al. Room temperature ammonia sensor based on copper nanoparticle intercalated polyaniline nanocomposite thin films. Applied Surface Science, 2015, 339: 69–74
Talwar V, Singh O, Singh R C. ZnO assisted polyaniline nanofibers and its application as ammonia gas sensor. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2014, 191: 276–282
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 21771060 and 61271126), the International Science & Technology Cooperation Program of China (Grant No. 2016YFE0115100), the Program for Science and Technology Project of Heilongjiang Province (Grant No. JQ2021B002), the Heilongjiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 2019LH0320), the Reform and Development Fund Project of Local University supported by the Central Government, Heilongjiang Touyan Innovation Team Program.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Electronic Supplementary Material
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bai, Y., Dong, X., Guo, C. et al. Spray synthesis of rapid recovery ZnO/polyaniline film ammonia sensor at room temperature. Front. Mater. Sci. 16, 220620 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11706-022-0620-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11706-022-0620-x