Copper( ii ) phthalocyanine supported on a three-dimensional nitrogen-doped graphene/PEDOT-PSS nanocomposite as a highly selective and sensitive sensor for ammonia detection at room temperature

Here we present a highly efficient ammonia (NH 3 ) gas sensor made of copper( ii ) tetrasulfophthalocyanine supported on a three-dimensional nitrogen-doped graphene based framework (CuTSPc@3D-(N)GF)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT-PSS) nanocomposite sensing film with high uniformity over a large surface area. The NH 3 gas sensing performance of the nanocomposite was compared with those of sensors based on pure PEDOT-PSS and a pristine CuTSPc@3D-(N)GF. It was revealed that the synergistic behavior between both of these candidates allowed excellent sensitivity and selectivity for NH 3 gas in a low concentration range of 1–1000 ppm at room temperature. The CuTSPc@3D-(N)GF/PEDOT-PSS nanocomposite gas sensor exhibited a much better response (∼5 and 53 times, with a concentration of NH 3 gas at 200 ppm) to NH 3 gas than those of the pure PEDOT-PSS and pristine CuTSPc@3D-(N)GF gas sensors, respectively. The combination of the CuTSPc@3D-(N)GF and PEDOT-PSS facilitated the enhancement in the sensing properties of the final nanocomposite and paved a new avenue for the application of CuTSPc@3D-(N)GF/PEDOT-PSS nanocomposites in the gas sensing field.