Sensor for volatile organic compounds using an interdigitated gold electrode modified with a nanocomposite made from poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) and ultra-large graphene oxide

AbstractA highly efficient gas sensor is described based on the use of a nanocomposite fabricated from poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT-PSS) and ultra-large graphene oxide (UL-GO). The nanocomposite was placed by drop casting in high uniformity on interdigitated gold electrodes over a large area of silicon substrate and investigated for its response to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at room temperature. Monolayers of UL-GOs were synthesized based on a novel solution-phase method involving pre-exfoliation of graphite flakes. The nanocomposite was optimized in terms of composition, and the resulting vapor sensor (containing 0.04 wt% of UL-GO) exhibits strong response to various VOC vapors. The improved gas-sensing performance is attributed to several effects, viz. (a) an enhanced transport of charge carriers, probably a result of the weakening of columbic attraction between PEDOT and PSS by the functional groups on the UL-GO sheets; (b) the increase in the specific surface area on adding UL-GO sheets; and (c) enhanced interactions between the sensing film and VOC molecules via the network of π-electrons. The sensitivity, response and recovery times of the PEDOT-PSS/UL-GO nanocomposite gas sensor with 0.04 wt% of UL-GO are 11.3 %, 3.2 s, and 16 s, respectively. At a methanol vapor concentration as low as 35 ppm, this is an improvement by factors of 110, 10, and 6 respectively, compared to a PEDOT-PSS reference gas sensor without UL-GO. Graphical AbstractPEDOT-based sensors for VOCs are presented that exhibit better sensivity, and shorter response and recovery times to methanol than previously known sensors

[1]  C. N. R. Rao,et al.  NO2 and humidity sensing characteristics of few-layer graphenes , 2009, 0905.2852.

[2]  Dongmin Chen,et al.  Synthesis and Solid-State NMR Structural Characterization of 13C-Labeled Graphite Oxide , 2008, Science.

[3]  Qiang Li,et al.  Suspended graphene sensors with improved signal and reduced noise. , 2010, Nano letters.

[4]  J. Feller,et al.  High stability silver nanoparticles–graphene/poly(ionic liquid)-based chemoresistive sensors for volatile organic compounds’ detection , 2014, Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry.

[5]  N. Kybert,et al.  Intrinsic response of graphene vapor sensors. , 2008, Nano letters.

[6]  Kong,et al.  Nanotube molecular wires as chemical sensors , 2000, Science.

[7]  T. Guo,et al.  Flexible organic light emitting diodes based on double-layered graphene/PEDOT:PSS conductive film formed by spray-coating , 2014 .

[8]  Jacek Klinowski,et al.  Structure of Graphite Oxide Revisited , 1998 .

[9]  Martijn Kemerink,et al.  Conductivity, work function, and environmental stability of PEDOT:PSS thin films treated with sorbitol , 2008 .

[10]  TaeYoung Kim,et al.  Poly(ionic liquid)-stabilized graphene sheets and their hybrid with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) , 2011 .

[11]  Dongqing Wu,et al.  Highly conductive and uniform graphene oxide modified PEDOT:PSS electrodes for ITO-Free organic light emitting diodes , 2014 .

[12]  Jian Shen,et al.  Evaluation of antithrombogenic and antibacterial activities of a graphite oxide/heparin–benzalkonium chloride composite , 2009 .

[13]  W. Cao,et al.  Colorimetric Sensor Based on Self‐Assembled Polydiacetylene/Graphene‐Stacked Composite Film for Vapor‐Phase Volatile Organic Compounds , 2013 .

[14]  J. Feller,et al.  Hybrid film of chemically modified graphene and vapor-phase-polymerized PEDOT for electronic nose applications , 2013 .

[15]  N. Kotov,et al.  Simple, rapid, sensitive, and versatile SWNT-paper sensor for environmental toxin detection competitive with ELISA. , 2009, Nano letters (Print).

[16]  M. Peris,et al.  A 21st century technique for food control: electronic noses. , 2009, Analytica chimica acta.

[17]  J. Feller,et al.  Graphene quantum resistive sensing skin for the detection of alteration biomarkers , 2012 .

[18]  Jianbo Lu,et al.  Conductive bio-Polymer nano-Composites (CPC): chitosan-carbon nanotube transducers assembled via spray layer-by-layer for volatile organic compound sensing. , 2010, Talanta.

[19]  Mincheol Chang,et al.  Formation of 1D Poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) Nanomaterials in Reverse Microemulsions and Their Application to Chemical Sensors , 2007 .

[20]  Jae Do Lee,et al.  Adsorption of NH3 and NO2 molecules on carbon nanotubes , 2001 .

[21]  Paul L. McEuen,et al.  Mechanical properties of suspended graphene sheets , 2007 .

[22]  Jang‐Kyo Kim,et al.  Spontaneous Formation of Liquid Crystals in Ultralarge Graphene Oxide Dispersions , 2011 .

[23]  Ida A. Casalinuovo,et al.  Application of Electronic Noses for Disease Diagnosis and Food Spoilage Detection , 2006, Sensors (Basel, Switzerland).

[24]  Mitesh Parmar,et al.  PANI and Graphene/PANI Nanocomposite Films — Comparative Toluene Gas Sensing Behavior , 2013, Sensors.

[25]  B. H. Weiller,et al.  Practical chemical sensors from chemically derived graphene. , 2009, ACS nano.

[26]  T. Mallouk,et al.  Gas sensing properties of single conducting polymer nanowires and the effect of temperature. , 2008, Nanotechnology.

[27]  Zhi Yang,et al.  Reduced graphene oxide–polyaniline hybrid: Preparation, characterization and its applications for ammonia gas sensing , 2012 .

[28]  K. Zhang,et al.  Novel architecture of carbon nanotube decorated poly(methyl methacrylate) microbead vapour sensors assembled by spray layer by layer , 2011 .

[29]  Zhongqing Wei,et al.  Reduced graphene oxide molecular sensors. , 2008, Nano letters.

[30]  C. N. Lau,et al.  Superior thermal conductivity of single-layer graphene. , 2008, Nano letters.

[31]  Mohsen Moazzami Gudarzi,et al.  Intumescent flame retardant polyurethane/reduced graphene oxide composites with improved mechanical, thermal, and barrier properties , 2013, Journal of Materials Science.

[32]  J A Covington,et al.  Insights into ‘fermentonomics’: evaluation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in human disease using an electronic ‘e-nose’ , 2011, Journal of medical engineering & technology.

[33]  Fei Liu,et al.  Fabrication of free-standing multilayered graphene and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) composite films with enhanced conductive and mechanical properties. , 2010, Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids.

[34]  J. Feller,et al.  Graphene-Fe3O4/PIL-PEDOT for the design of sensitive and stable quantum chemo-resistive VOC sensors , 2014 .

[35]  Stephane Evoy,et al.  Dielectrophoretically assembled polymer nanowires for gas sensing , 2007 .

[36]  F. A. Taromi,et al.  Efficient preparation of ultralarge graphene oxide using a PEDOT:PSS/GO composite layer as hole transport layer in polymer-based optoelectronic devices , 2014 .

[37]  Milton W Cole,et al.  Adsorption of ammonia on graphene , 2009, Nanotechnology.

[38]  Dongsoo Jung,et al.  Electrospun PEDOT:PSS/PVP nanofibers as the chemiresistor in chemical vapour sensing , 2010 .

[39]  P. Srivastava,et al.  Volatile organic compounds in indoor environments in Mumbai, India. , 2000, The Science of the total environment.

[40]  S. Christoulakis,et al.  Low temperature indium oxide gas sensors , 2006 .