ABSTRACT
Tailoring the morphology of materials in the nanometer regime is vital to realizing enhanced device performance. Here, we demonstrate flexible nerve agent sensors, based on hydroxylated poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) nanotubes (HPNTs) with surface substructures such as nanonodules (NNs) and nanorods (NRs). The surface substructures can be grown on a nanofiber surface by controlling critical synthetic conditions during vapor deposition polymerization (VDP) on the polymer nanotemplate, leading to the formation of multidimensional conducting polymer nanostructures. Hydroxyl groups are found to interact with the nerve agents. Representatively, the sensing response of dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) as a simulant for sarin is highly sensitive and reversible from the aligned nanotubes. The minimum detection limit is as low as 10 ppt. Additionally, the sensor had excellent mechanical bendability and durability.
Subject(s)
Conductometry/instrumentation , Nanotechnology/instrumentation , Nanotubes/chemistry , Nanotubes/ultrastructure , Polymers/chemistry , Sarin/analysis , Chemical Warfare Agents/analysis , Chemical Warfare Agents/chemistry , Equipment Design , Equipment Failure Analysis , Particle Size , Sarin/chemistryABSTRACT
Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) nanotubes (PEDOT NTs) flexible membrane was successfully fabricated by vapor deposition polymerization (VDP) mediated electrospinning for ammonia gas detection. PVA nanofibers (NFs) were electrospun as a core part and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/PEDOT coaxial nanocables (NCs) were prepared by VDP method via EDOT monomer adsorption onto the electrospun PVA NFs as templates. To obtain the PEDOT NTs membrane, the PVA NFs were removed from PVA/PEDOT coaxial NCs with distilled water. PVA/PEDOT coaxial NCs and PEDOT NTs had the conductivities of 71 and 61 Scm(-1) and were applied as a transducer for ammonia gas detection in the range of 1-100 parts per million (ppm) of NH(3) gas. They exhibited the minimum detectable level of ca. 5 parts per million (ppm) and fast response time (less than 1s) towards ammonia gas. In a recovery time, the PEDOT NTs membrane sensor was ca. 30s and shorter compared to that of the membrane sensor based on the PVA/PEDOT NCs (ca. 50s). In addition, sensor performance of PEDOT NTs membrane was also undertaken as a function of membrane thickness. Thick membrane sensor (30 microm) had the enhanced sensitivity and the sensitivity on the membrane thickness was in the order of 30 microm>20 microm>10 microm at 60 ppm of NH(3) gas.
