Fabrication, Characterization and NH3 Sensing Properties of Zinc Supported TiO2 Doped Polypyrrole Nanocomposite Thin Films

Abstract

A series of conductive and porous Zn/TiO2 doped polypyrrole (PPy) nanocomposites thin films were prepared by adding Zn/TiO2 (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 wt.%) in an aqueous solution of polypyrrole using a chemical oxidative polymerization process at room temperature. The prepared Zn/TiO2-PPy films were characterized by electrical resistivity by two probe techniques, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The surface morphology of Zn/TiO2-PPy films has found signicant influence on the gas sensing properties. Results from FTIR and XRD verified the structural formation of Zn/TiO2-PPy films from the pyrrole monomer. When the amount of Zn/TiO2 increased, the optical absorption in visible (500-700 nm) and UV (200-400 nm) regions decreases, according to an analysis of the optical characteristics of all tested films. The NH3 gas was used to examine the prepeared nanocomposites thin films’ sensing properties.