Polyaniline-nylon 6 composite fabric for ammonia gas sensor

Conducting polymers constitute a new class of sensing materials, which can be prepared by a simple oxidative polymerization method. An ammonia gas sensor was prepared by polymerizing aniline on the surface of nylon 6 fabrics and doped with various acids in this study. The fabricated polyaniline (PANI)–nylon 6 composite fabrics showed high sensitivity and fast response for NH3 gas. In particular, the PANI–nylon 6 composite fabrics doped by monocarboxylic acids (such as formic acid, acrylic acid, and trichloroacetic acid) displayed excellent sensitivity and fast response. Moreover, no significant changes in the Tm and crystallinity were found in these composite fabrics. Hence the PANI–nylon 6 composite fabrics are attractive alternatives for use in sensing applications because of their excellent sensing ability, low cost, and ease of preparation. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 37–42, 2004