Lei Tingping

Chlorine gas sensors using hybrid organic semiconductors of PANI/ZnPcCl16

PANI/ZnPcCl16 (polyaniline doped with sulfosalicylic acid/hexadecachloro zinc phthalocyanine) powders were vacuum co-deposited onto Si substrates, where Pt interdigitated electrodes were made by micromachining. The PANI/ZnPcCl16 films were characterized and analyzed by SEM, and the influencing factors on its intrinsic performance were analyzed and sensitivities of the sensors were investigated by exposure to chlorine (Cl2) gas. The results showed that powders prepared with a stoichiometric ratio of (ZnPcCl16)0.6(PANI)0.4 had a preferential sensitivity to Cl2 gas, superior to those prepared otherwise; the optimal vacuum co-deposition conditions for the films are a substrate temperature of 160 °C, an evaporation temperature of 425 °C and a film thickness of 75 nm; elevating the operation temperature (above 100 °C) or increasing the gas concentration (over 100 ppm) would improve the response characteristics, but there should be upper levels for each. Finally, the gas sensing mechanism of PANI/ZnPcCl16 films was also discussed.