Polyaniline Niobium Pentoxide Composite As Humidity Sensor At Room Temperature

¹Department of PG Studies and Research in Physics, Government Science College, Chitradurga 577501, India

²Department of Physics, SJM College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Chitradurga 577 501, India

³Department of Physics, JNN College of Engineering, Shimogga 577 204, India

⁴International and Inter University centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam 686 560, India

Adv. Mater. Lett., 2015, 6 (7), pp 641-645

DOI: 10.5185/amlett.2015.5795

Publication Date (Web): Jul 12, 2015

Copyright © IAAM-VBRI Press

E-mail: ytrcta@gmail.com

Abstract

In this present work, Polyaniline (PANI) and Polyaniline-Niobium Pentoxide (PANI-Nb₂O₅) composite were synthesized separately at room temperature by chemical polymerization of aniline without/with Nb₂O₅. Comparative study of XRD pattern of PANI and the composite confirms superficial deposition of PANI on Nb₂O₅ and the average size of the composite particle was found to be 10 nm. Aggregated granular morphology of the composite as compared to pristine PANI was confirmed by SEM images. Sensitivity of PANI-Nb₂O₅ composite to humidity at room temperature was tested using digital LCR meter at a selected frequency of 100 Hz and the results showed consistent variation in impedance from 60 KΩ to 360 KΩ within the relative humidity (RH) range 25% - 95%. Further, the response and recovery time of the composite were measured to be 80s and 90s respectively and the composite showed stable sensing ability over a period of one month.

Keywords

Polyaniline composites, humidity sensor, sensitivity, stability.