On the way to eco-friendly fabrication of polyaniline-based ammonia sensors with high sensitivity and room temperature operation

Organic sensors based on conductive polyaniline (PAni) are a promising solution under development for detecting ammonia. The sensors are advantageous due to their performance, their low cost of production and ease of processing. During the fabrication of sensors, the polymer, and its doping agent ar...

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Main Authors: Sabine Vassaux, Nathalie Redon, Caroline Duc
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Journal of Science: Advanced Materials and Devices
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468217925001145
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author Sabine Vassaux
Nathalie Redon
Caroline Duc
author_facet Sabine Vassaux
Nathalie Redon
Caroline Duc
author_sort Sabine Vassaux
collection DOAJ
description Organic sensors based on conductive polyaniline (PAni) are a promising solution under development for detecting ammonia. The sensors are advantageous due to their performance, their low cost of production and ease of processing. During the fabrication of sensors, the polymer, and its doping agent are usually dispersed in an organic solvent (e.g., m-cresol or N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone), which does not meet the required safety and sustainability standards. The aim of this study is to report the remarkable detection performances of polyaniline-based sensitive layers elaborated in safer solvents. Herein, PAni doped with camphor-10-sulfonic acid (CSA) was mixed and mechanically dispersed in various solvents. Obtained PAni:CSA films were analyzed using infrared spectroscopy, while morphological characteristics were determined using Scanning Electron Microscopy. The analysis of detection performances shows that the solvent employed for the dispersion of PAni has a significant effect on the sensor's sensitivity. For instance, high sensitivities (about 300 %/ppm) and low limits of detection (approximately 2 ppb) are obtained for devices elaborated in ethanol and dl-limonene. After evaporation, these incompatible solvents lead to the formation of a porous active layer, facilitating the interactions with ammonia. The sensitivities of these devices remain stable after 5 months, independent of the humidity level. Thus, using non-stabilizing solvents to disperse polyaniline offers a promising approach to enhance the sensitivity and limit the detection of room-temperature organic ammonia sensors.
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spelling doaj-art-5c0ee6e032d54762aebfef2f52b2a27e2025-08-20T03:45:10ZengElsevierJournal of Science: Advanced Materials and Devices2468-21792025-09-0110310096110.1016/j.jsamd.2025.100961On the way to eco-friendly fabrication of polyaniline-based ammonia sensors with high sensitivity and room temperature operationSabine Vassaux0Nathalie Redon1Caroline Duc2Corresponding author.; Centre for Energy and Environment, IMT Nord Europe, Institut Mines-Telecom, University of Lille, F-59000, Lille, FranceCentre for Energy and Environment, IMT Nord Europe, Institut Mines-Telecom, University of Lille, F-59000, Lille, FranceCorresponding author.; Centre for Energy and Environment, IMT Nord Europe, Institut Mines-Telecom, University of Lille, F-59000, Lille, FranceOrganic sensors based on conductive polyaniline (PAni) are a promising solution under development for detecting ammonia. The sensors are advantageous due to their performance, their low cost of production and ease of processing. During the fabrication of sensors, the polymer, and its doping agent are usually dispersed in an organic solvent (e.g., m-cresol or N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone), which does not meet the required safety and sustainability standards. The aim of this study is to report the remarkable detection performances of polyaniline-based sensitive layers elaborated in safer solvents. Herein, PAni doped with camphor-10-sulfonic acid (CSA) was mixed and mechanically dispersed in various solvents. Obtained PAni:CSA films were analyzed using infrared spectroscopy, while morphological characteristics were determined using Scanning Electron Microscopy. The analysis of detection performances shows that the solvent employed for the dispersion of PAni has a significant effect on the sensor's sensitivity. For instance, high sensitivities (about 300 %/ppm) and low limits of detection (approximately 2 ppb) are obtained for devices elaborated in ethanol and dl-limonene. After evaporation, these incompatible solvents lead to the formation of a porous active layer, facilitating the interactions with ammonia. The sensitivities of these devices remain stable after 5 months, independent of the humidity level. Thus, using non-stabilizing solvents to disperse polyaniline offers a promising approach to enhance the sensitivity and limit the detection of room-temperature organic ammonia sensors.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468217925001145Chemiresistive SensorAmmonia detectionConductive polymerPolyanilineSustainable ink
spellingShingle Sabine Vassaux
Nathalie Redon
Caroline Duc
On the way to eco-friendly fabrication of polyaniline-based ammonia sensors with high sensitivity and room temperature operation
Journal of Science: Advanced Materials and Devices
Chemiresistive Sensor
Ammonia detection
Conductive polymer
Polyaniline
Sustainable ink
title On the way to eco-friendly fabrication of polyaniline-based ammonia sensors with high sensitivity and room temperature operation
title_full On the way to eco-friendly fabrication of polyaniline-based ammonia sensors with high sensitivity and room temperature operation
title_fullStr On the way to eco-friendly fabrication of polyaniline-based ammonia sensors with high sensitivity and room temperature operation
title_full_unstemmed On the way to eco-friendly fabrication of polyaniline-based ammonia sensors with high sensitivity and room temperature operation
title_short On the way to eco-friendly fabrication of polyaniline-based ammonia sensors with high sensitivity and room temperature operation
title_sort on the way to eco friendly fabrication of polyaniline based ammonia sensors with high sensitivity and room temperature operation
topic Chemiresistive Sensor
Ammonia detection
Conductive polymer
Polyaniline
Sustainable ink
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468217925001145
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AT carolineduc onthewaytoecofriendlyfabricationofpolyanilinebasedammoniasensorswithhighsensitivityandroomtemperatureoperation