The role of polymeric surfactants on morphology and volatile organic compounds sensing efficiency of tennis bat like vanadium pentoxide nanorod

Tennis Bat like V2O5 nanorods (NRs) capable of sensing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were synthesized by co- precipitation method in presence of polymeric surfactants. The role of polymeric surfactants (PS), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyethylene glycol (PEG) and poly(toluene sulfonic acid) (PTSA) on the formation, structural, optical and morphological properties of V2O5-NRs were studied. The efficiency of these NRs to sense acetaldehyde, toluene and xylene (ATX) vapors was also investigated. Field emission scanning electron microscope images revealed that tennis bat like NRs were obtained when PTSA was used and except PEG, all PS were rendered well defined NRs. Phonon confinement effect was highly pronounced in V2O5-NR prepared in the presence of PTSA, and also exhibited highest sensing response towards sensing ATXs, in particular, 4–16 times higher sensitivity towards toluene than other gases. Collectively, the PTSA found to be efficient for fabricating the homogenous tennis bat like V2O5-NRs capable of sensing volatile organic compounds.