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

Abstract

Polypyrrole (PPy)–Zn2SnO4 nanocomposites with different weight percentages (0–20%) of Zn2SnO4 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–Zn2SnO4 nanocomposites with granular morphology and high porosity. Among various nanocompositions, DBSA-doped PPy–Zn2SnO4 (10 wt.%) nanocomposite was found to be highly sensitive towards NH3 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 NH3 vapor. The DBSA-doped PPy–Zn2SnO4 nanocomposite response is four times better than pure PPy toward NH3 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 NH3 sensors.