Copper(ii) phthalocyanine supported on a three-dimensional nitrogen-doped graphene/PEDOT-PSS nanocomposite as a highly selective and sensitive sensor for ammonia detection at room temperature

Abstract

Here we present a highly efficient ammonia (NH₃) gas sensor made of copper(II) tetrasulfophthalocyanine supported on a three-dimensional nitrogen-doped graphene based framework (CuTSPc@3D-(N)GF)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT-PSS) nanocomposite sensing film with high uniformity over a large surface area. The NH₃ gas sensing performance of the nanocomposite was compared with those of sensors based on pure PEDOT-PSS and a pristine CuTSPc@3D-(N)GF. It was revealed that the synergistic behavior between both of these candidates allowed excellent sensitivity and selectivity for NH₃ gas in a low concentration range of 1–1000 ppm at room temperature. The CuTSPc@3D-(N)GF/PEDOT-PSS nanocomposite gas sensor exhibited a much better response (∼5 and 53 times, with a concentration of NH₃ gas at 200 ppm) to NH₃ gas than those of the pure PEDOT-PSS and pristine CuTSPc@3D-(N)GF gas sensors, respectively. The combination of the CuTSPc@3D-(N)GF and PEDOT-PSS facilitated the enhancement in the sensing properties of the final nanocomposite and paved a new avenue for the application of CuTSPc@3D-(N)GF/PEDOT-PSS nanocomposites in the gas sensing field.