A large-dynamic range conductivity-modulated PANI online analysis and sensing platform for ammonia gas detection using coupled optical probing mode

Due to the large-dynamic range and reversible conductivity modulation capability, polyaniline (PANI) shows promising prospects for diverse applications, such as supercapacitors, rechargeable batteries, and electrochromic materials. However, online characterization of the optical properties of the conductive polymer in the infrared band throughout the synthesis and redox state changing processes poses a challenge. Here, we propose and demonstrate an analysis and sensing platform for real-time evaluation of both thickness and the complex refractive index of PANI nanofilm, and employed for ammonia gas concentration sensing. The coupled optical probing mode of tilted fiber Bragg grating (TFBG) as a robust and portable permittivity perception tool is utilized for online perceiving the large-dynamic-range conductivity change of PANI nanofilm. By reproducing the spectral evolution of the probing cladding mode resonance, we introduce a simulation method for analyzing the optical properties of polymer nanofilms within the infrared band. For ammonia gas detection, the sensing platform exhibited continuous and reliable detection within a concentration range of 25–500 ppm, with an optimal film thickness of 156 nm. A good linear response was observed with a sensitivity of up to 5.2 × 10−3 dB/ppm, and a linearity (R2 = 0.9876) with a detection limit of 10 ppm. Our proposed low-cost and large dynamic range conductivity-modulated PANI-TFBG platform for optical properties online analysis and sensing shows potential in environmental monitoring, healthcare, and the biochemical field. •A polymer-optic fiber platform for analysis of optical properties of PANI and sensing Ammonia gas is demonstrated.•TFBG is utilized for assessing complex refractive index or thickness for PANI.•The detection limit of ammonia is 10 ppm with a sensitivity of 5.2 × 10−3 dB/ppm.•Using this simulation-assist method, interfacial reaction processes could be further evaluated using TFBG as a “witness sample".