Room temperature ammonia sensor based on copper nanoparticle intercalated polyaniline nanocomposite thin films

Thin films of copper nanoparticles intercalated-polyaniline nanocomposites (NC) have been deposited at room temperatures by in situ oxidative polymerization of aniline in the presence of different concentrations of Cu nanoparticles. The response characteristics of the NC thin films toward different gases namely NH3, CO, CO2, NO and CH4 were examined at room temperature. Both pure polyaniline (PANI) and NC films exhibited a selective response toward NH3. Incorporation of Cu nanoparticles resulted in an improvement of the sensors response and response kinetics. The response and the recovery times of composite film toward 50 ppm of NH3 were 7 and 160 s, respectively. Additionally, the NC sensor film could reversibly detect as low as 1 ppm of NH3 concentrations. The enhanced response of NC films toward NH3 is attributed to the deprotonation and reprotonation processes as also supported by Raman investigations.