Reduced graphene oxide–polyaniline hybrid: Preparation, characterization and its applications for ammonia gas sensing

Here we present a useful ammonia (NH3) gas sensor based on reduced graphene oxide (RGO)–polyaniline (PANI) hybrids. PANI nanoparticles were successfully anchored on the surface of RGO sheets by using RGO–MnO2 hybrids as both of the templates and oxidants for aniline monomer during the process of polymerization. The resultant RGO–PANI hybrids were characterized by transmittance electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The NH3 gas sensing performance of the hybrids was also investigated and compared with those of the sensors based on bare PANI nanofibers and bare RGO sheets. It was revealed that the synergetic behavior between both of the candidates allowed excellent sensitivity and selectivity to NH3 gas. The RGO–PANI hybrid device exhibited much better (3.4 and 10.4 times, respectively, with the concentration of NH3 gas at 50 ppm) response to NH3 gas than those of the bare PANI nanofiber sensor and bare graphene device. The combination of the RGO sheets and PANI nanoparticles facilitated the enhancement of the sensing properties of the final hybrids, and pave a new avenue for the application of RGO–PANI hybrids in the gas sensing field.