Optimization of Printed Polyaniline Composites for Gas Sensing Applications
Ciril Reiner-Rozman1, Bernhard Pichler2, Vivien Madi2
1Department of Physics and Chemistry of Materials, Danube Private University, 3500 Krems, Austria.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|July 27, 2022
Summary
Polyaniline films show promise for electronic noses, but performance varies. F4TCNQ dopants offer better reproducibility than carbon black for gas sensing, crucial for IoT applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Chemical Sensors
- Internet of Things (IoT)
Background:
- Polyaniline (PANI) films are explored for electronic nose applications in IoT.
- Device performance is sensitive to fabrication and environmental factors.
- Understanding PANI composite affinities for specific analytes is critical.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate material properties of F4TCNQ and carbon black doped PANI films.
- Assess sensitivity and specificity towards breath cancer markers.
- Evaluate dopant concentration effects on sensor performance and reproducibility.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of PANI films with varying F4TCNQ and carbon black concentrations.
- Gas sensing measurements for five breath cancer markers and ammonia.
- Analysis of sensor sensitivity, specificity, limit of detection, and hysteresis.
- Statistical analysis including principal component analysis (PCA) for machine learning.
Main Results:
- F4TCNQ-doped PANI films demonstrated superior reproducibility compared to carbon black-doped films.
- Quantified the trade-off between sensitivity, reproducibility, and environmental stability based on dopant choice and concentration.
- Investigated the impact of relative humidity on sensor hysteresis.
Conclusions:
- Dopant selection significantly impacts PANI film performance for gas sensing.
- F4TCNQ doping offers a pathway to more reliable electronic nose sensors.
- Results provide a foundation for machine learning-based discrimination in breath analysis.
