Ammonia gas sensor based on the frequency-dependent impedance characteristics of ultrathin polyaniline films

Solution-processed ultrathin PANI films as inexpensive ammonia sensor for livestock buildings. [Display omitted] •A simple solution-based fabrication processes of a user-friendly PANI-based resistometric detector.•Potential application of impedance spectroscopy measurements to enhance performance of polymer-based resistometric sensors.•PANI-based sensors in which capacitive effects related to electrode-PANI contacts and dielectric absorption of PANI-based films are insignificant.•A novel indicator sensor for livestock buildings that is able to accurately inform if the ammonia concentration is above or below 20ppm. This paper describes a variety of experiments that reveal the potential application of impedance spectroscopy (IS) measurements to enhance performance of ultrathin polyaniline (PANI)-based films on flexible substrate to control ammonia gas exposure in the 0–20ppm range. Further, the device is mechanically robust for making electrical contact without lithography. We have employed the IS technique to proper adjust the optimal operation frequency of an easy-to-process, inexpensive and user-friendly PANI-based resistometric detectors in which drift current and delay problems related to electrode effects and dielectric absorption of PANI are insignificant. These requirements place emphasis upon the material and device configuration, and the range of frequencies from 10 to 100Hz corresponds to the ideal working region to operate the device to unify sensibility inside 5%, reproducibility, linearity, stability and low response time (