Ag-SnO2/Polyaniline composite nanofibers for low operating temperature hydrogen gas sensor

Abstract

Silver doped tin oxide (Ag-SnO₂) nanofibers were fabricated by electrospinning and subsequently calcinations technique. Ag-SnO₂/polyaniline (PANI) composite nanofibers were prepared by facile in-situ polymerization dip-coating technique. As-synthesized composites nanofibers were characterized by XRD, SEM and studied for hydrogen gas sensing. Ag-SnO₂/PANI composite was found to be more sensitive for hydrogen gas at low operating temperature around 42⁰C compared to that of pure or doped SnO₂ nanofibers required more than 250^oC. Further, the response and recovery time of SnO₂/PANI (SP), 1%Ag-SnO₂/PANI (ASP1) and 2%Ag-SnO₂/PANI (ASP2) composites were obtained at different concentrations 500-1500 ppm of hydrogen gas at an operating temperature of 42⁰C. The good stability and lowest response as well as recovery time were observed for ASP2 composite for all concentrations of hydrogen gas compared to that of pristine SnO₂ and other composites.