Enhanced room temperature ammonia sensing properties of polypyrrole–zinc tin oxide nanocomposite

Abstract

Polypyrrole (PPy)–Zn 2 SnO 4 nanocomposites with different weight percentages (0–20%) of Zn 2 SnO 4 were successfully prepared by chemical oxidative polymerization. The prepared nanocomposites were deposited on epoxy glass substrate using a spin coating technique and have been characterized using various techniques such as X-ray diffractometer, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer. The physicochemical characterization confirmed well-formed dodecylbenzene (DBSA)-doped PPy–Zn 2 SnO 4 nanocomposites with granular morphology and high porosity. Among various nanocompositions, DBSA-doped PPy–Zn 2 SnO 4 (10 wt.%) nanocomposite was found to be highly sensitive towards NH 3 vapor at room temperature i.e. with a chemiresistive response of 5.44% at 27 ppm with a reasonably fast recovery time of 76 s. Additionally, it shows a linear response and appropriate recovery time at all concentrations of NH 3 vapor. The DBSA-doped PPy–Zn 2 SnO 4 nanocomposite response is four times better than pure PPy toward NH 3 vapor at room temperature. Therefore, it is expected that such material with excellent gas sensing properties at room temperature can be used for high-performance NH 3 sensors.