Fabrication and characterization of thin films and electrospun nanofibers: application of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) sensing devices

Abstract

In recent decades there has been an increase in industrial activities and the use of harmful gases and vapors. Between harmful vapors include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) considered bigger air pollutants. Due to the harmful health effects caused by VOCs, it becomes necessary to produce gas sensing devices to detect them. Among the materials used to create the sensor, devices are conductive polymers, which have a low processing cost and high sensitivity to harmful vapors. Polythiophenes are a class of materials that can change material properties when modified in their side chains, giving the possibility of synthesizing different derivatives such as polythiophene alkylates (P3ATs). The aim of the project consists of the production of electrospun nanofibers and thin films of regiorandom poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and poly (3-octylthiophene) (P3OT) for application as gas sensor devices through electrospinning techniques, verifying morphology by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and using Langmuir Schaefer and Langmuir Blodgett techniques for thin films fabrication in which the UV-Visible characterization by spectroscopy will be performed. The devices will be fabricated in gold interdigitated electrodes (IDE) and will be performed by direct current electric characterization and gas sensor analysis applying VOCs on the devices in nitrogen cycles and harmful vapors. (AU)