Cloisite 20A Based Polyaniline Nanocomposites for Nitrogen Dioxide (No2) Gas Sensors

Compacted polyaniline (PANI)/Layered silicate nanocomposites have been successfully prepared by simple in situ, core-shell, and ex situ polymerization routes using AnHCl as a predecessor through chemical oxidation method. The structure, chemical groups, electronic transition and properties were investigated by XRD, SEM, HRTEM, UV Visible, DC electrical conductivity, TGA, and DSC. The XRD results reveals that HCl-treated Cloisite 20A, and PANI-ES/Cloisite 20A nanocomposites are delaminated. Flake-like morphologies were observed in Cloisite 20A and HCl-treated Cloisite 20A, whereas different rate of compacted fibrous morphologies of prepared PANI-ES/Cloisite 20A nanocomposites were observed as evident from SEM images. The Si-O FTIR band position does not change even after HCl treatment of Cloisite 20A, but different FTIR peaks positions of PANI-ES/Cloisite 20A nanocomposites were shifted from pure PANI-ES peaks after using Cloisite 20A nanoclays. UV-Visible spectra indicated the increment of charge carrier within the PANI-ES/Cloisite 20A nanocomposites compared to the pure one. The prepared nanohybrids showed significantly improved thermal property compared to pristine PANI-ES as clear from TGA and DSC analysis. The highest DC electronic conductivity of nanocomposite prepared by core-shell route is found to be 5.12 S/cm using linear four probe techniques. In addition, the charge transport mechanism was understood with and without loading Cloisite 20A in PANI-ES. The conductivity data supported the temperature-dependence relationship σ(T) = σ0.exp[-To/T)1/4] and followed characteristic of three-dimensional variable-range hopping (3D‒VRH) mechanism. In addition, we were discussed the response of Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) gas with polyaniline based sensor materials.