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All-aerosol-jet-printed highly sensitive and selective polyaniline-based ammonia sensors: a route toward low-cost, low-power gas detection

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Abstract

We report the design and scalable fabrication of a low-cost and low-power polyaniline-based (PANI) ammonia (NH3) gas sensor on polyimide (PI) substrates using additive manufacturing techniques. The silver interdigitated electrode (IDE) arrays and conducting polymer films are printed onto PI using a direct-write technology of aerosol-jet printing. Morphological characteristics are examined by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis which reveal homogeneously printed PANI film on the IDE platform. The gas sensing performance is evaluated in the analytical early leak detection range of 5–1000 ppm NH3 in air as a function of both thermal (23 °C, 50 °C, 80 °C) and relative humidity (RH = 0%, 30%, 50%) exposures. The sensor exhibits sensitivity down to 5 ppm NH3 with a sub-ppm detection limit and good repeatability. We observe rapid NH3 detection at 0% RH with very extended times for equilibration and recovery. However, at both 30 and 50% RH, the room temperature response and recovery times are reduced to only about 1 min and 5 min, respectively. Experiments also reveal good sensitivity toward the analyte even at higher operating temperatures. Present results merit the practical application of aerosol-jet-printed, low-power sensors for industrial applications where low-level hazardous gas detection is essential.

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Acknowledgements

Research is supported by the US Department of Energy (DOE), Building Technologies Office, under Contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with UT-Battelle, LLC, for the US DOE. SEM and STEM imaging and analyses were conducted at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS), which is sponsored at ORNL by the Scientific User Facilities Division, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences, US DOE. This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under Contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the US Department of Energy (DOE). The US government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the US government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for US government purposes. DOE will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan (http://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan).

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Author notes

  1. Christine Fisher

    Present address: Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA

  2. Lydia N. Skolrood

    Present address: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA

    Christine Fisher, Lydia N. Skolrood, Kai Li, Tomonori Saito & Tolga Aytug

  2. Electrification and Energy Infrastructures Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA

    Bruce J. Warmack & Pooran C. Joshi

  3. Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37916, USA

    Yongchao Yu

  4. Manufacturing Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Knoxville, TN, 37932, USA

    Yongchao Yu

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Contributions

This work was conceived between TA and PJ and led by TA. Polyaniline synthesis and ink formulation were performed by CF in consultation with KL. Aerosol-jet printing and sensor fabrications were completed by YY. SEM characterizations were performed by LS and KL. Both the gas sensing setup and operation were carried out by B.W. with the assistance of LS. Spectroscopy data were interpreted by CF, imaging data by TA and the gas sensing characterization by BW with the assistance of TA and CF. TS contributed to and participated in the scientific discussion along with all other authors. The original manuscript draft was written by CF and edited by TA and BW. The final manuscript was written through contributions of all authors. All authors have given approval to the final version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Tolga Aytug.

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Fisher, C., Warmack, B.J., Yu, Y. et al. All-aerosol-jet-printed highly sensitive and selective polyaniline-based ammonia sensors: a route toward low-cost, low-power gas detection. J Mater Sci 56, 12596–12606 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-021-06080-0

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