Quick responding humidity sensor based on polyaniline/reduced graphene oxide composite

Abstract

The relative humidity sensing response of the Polyaniline/ reduced Graphene Oxide (PRGO) composites has been explored in this present research work. For these observations, polyaniline (PANI), synthesised by the chemical oxidative polymerisation process, was physically blended using the different mass ratios of reduced graphene oxide (rGO). By the improved hummers method, graphene oxide (GO) is prepared, adding the minimal quantity of selenium power, and the GO was effectively and facilely reduced to rGO. By adding different weight per cent (wt%) of reduced Graphene oxide (rGO) to the polymer matrix, PRGO composites were prepared. Structural and morphological properties of rGO were confirmed by XRD, RAMAN, FTIR, SEM, EDX, and HR-TEM (elementary mapping) characterisations. XRD, FTIR SEM and EDX proficiencies were employed to characterise the PRGO composites. For the humidity sensing determination, the sensing film of the PANI, rGO, and PRGO composites is groomed by loading the sample on an IDT substrate through a drop casting technique. The PRGO-3 composite has shown an epitome response and recovery of 3 and 4 s, respectively. The PRGO-3 composite has the most minored and less real sensitivity with a lower limit of detection (LOD). Also, the prepared PRGO composites have recorded less hysteresis and good linearity and depicted exact stability over PANI and other PRGO composites. The physical parameters for PRGO composites were also calculated to determine the potentiality of a perfect sensor. The sensing mechanism also hashed out based on establishing chemisorption and physisorption layers.