Nanocomposite sensors of propylene glycol, dimethylformamide and formaldehyde vapors

Abstract. The results of research works related to the study of thick-film multiwall carbon nanotube–tin oxide nanocomposite sensors of propylene glycol (PG), dimethylformamide (DMF) and formaldehyde (FA) vapors are presented in this paper. These sensors were derived using hydrothermal synthesis and sol–gel methods. Investigations of response–recovery characteristics in the 50–300 °C operating temperature range reveal that the optimal operating temperature for PG, DMF and FA vapor sensors, taking into account both high response and acceptable response and recovery times are about 200 and 220 °C, respectively. The dependence of the sensor response on gas concentration is linear in all cases. Minimal propylene glycol, dimethylformamide and formaldehyde gas concentrations, where the perceptible signal was noticed, were 13, 5 and 115 ppm, respectively.