A novel polycaprolactone‐grafted‐carbon black nanocomposite‐based sensor for detecting solvent vapors

Abstract

A novel vapor sensor is fabricated with polycaprolactone-grafted-carbon black (CB-g-PCL) as sensing materials. The influence of PCL with different grafting contents and solvents with various solubility and concentrations including benzene, deionized water, epoxy chloropropane (ECP), ethanol, toluene, and tetrahydrofuran on the response of electric resistance was investigated. When compared with mixture of PCL and carbon black, the CB-g-PCL-based sensor shows high sensitivity and good reproducibility. Sensor with moderate content of grafting PCL showed high sensitivity to vapors. The electric resistance of sensor drastically increased in ECP, ethanol, and deionized water with similar solubility with PCL and showed slight increase in benzene, toluene, and tetrahydrofuran with different solubility. The study on the response of electric resistance of CB-g-PCL to different vapors confirmed the swelling-induced sensing mechanism of sensor based on polymer-grafted-conductive nanomaterials.

Polymeric Nanocomposites for Environmental and Industrial Applications

“…In addition, the fabricated humidity sensor could be used for monitoring human breath [140]. Cheng reported a nanocomposite based on polycaprolactone/carbon black, which was used as a sensor for the detection of solvent vapors [141]. Pandey et al prepared agar gum/silver nanocomposites, which when used as sensors, exhibited a response time of 2-3 s and an ammonia solution detection limit of 1 ppm at room temperature.…”

A “Living Sensor” Based on Sansevieria Plant for Measurement of UV-A Radiation

“…Such solutions, through these compounds, imply near-zero CO2 emissions and near 100 % biodegradability. To implement sensing systems, however, the compound must include various additive layers such as metal [19], carbon black [20], carbon nanotubes [21] or doping with ZnO, which implies an increase in emissions [22]. As a consequence, a biodegradability decreases as a function of the mixed materials [23].…”