H₂S-Sensing Studies Using Interdigitated Electrode with Spin-Coated Carbon Aerogel-Polyaniline Composites

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is a toxic gas requiring sensitive detection.
• Polyaniline (PANI) is a conductive polymer with potential for gas sensing applications.
• Carbon aerogels (CA) offer high surface area and tunable properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and investigate novel carbon aerogel (CA)-polyaniline (PANI) composites for H₂S gas sensing.
• To evaluate the H₂S gas-sensing performance of PANI-CA composites.
• To compare the performance of PANI-CA composites with pristine PANI.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of CA-PANI composites with varying CA content (1 and 3 wt%).
• Fabrication of gas sensors using interdigitated electrodes (IDEs) coated with PANI and PANI-CA dispersions.
• Characterization of H₂S gas-sensing properties, including sensitivity, selectivity, and repeatability.

Main Results:

• PANI-CA composites exhibited significantly higher sensor sensitivity, selectivity, and repeatability than pristine PANI.
• Composites with higher CA loading (3 wt%) demonstrated superior performance.
• PANI-CA-3 composite achieved 452% sensitivity at 1 ppm H₂S with a 1s response time at 60% relative humidity.

Conclusions:

• CA-PANI composites represent a promising material for enhanced H₂S gas detection.
• The incorporation of CA into PANI effectively improves gas-sensing capabilities.
• Optimizing CA content is crucial for maximizing sensor performance.