title: Composites of polyvinyl alcohol and carbon (coils, undoped and nitrogen doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes) as ethanol, methanol and toluene vapor sensors.
abstract: We investigate the chemical sensing behavior of composites prepared with polyvinyl alcohol and carbon materials (undoped multiwalled carbon nanotubes, nitrogen-doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes and carbon nanocoils). We determine the sensitivity of thin films of these composites for ethanol, methanol and toluene vapor, comparing their conductance and capacitance responses. The composite that exhibits highest sensitivity depends on specific vapor, vapor concentration and measured electrical response, showing that the interactivity of the carbon structure with chemical species depend on structural specificities of the carbon structure and doping.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Caixa Postal 19044, 81531-990 Curitiba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Márcia W C C
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Greenshields
authors.forename: Ivo A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Hümmelgen
authors.forename: Messai A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mamo
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shaikjee
authors.forename: Sabelo D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Mhlanga
authors.forename: Willem A L
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: van Otterlo
authors.forename: Neil J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Coville
mesh_terms: D004553:Electric Conductivity; D000431:Ethanol / Q000032:analysis*; D005740:Gases / Q000032:analysis*; D000432:Methanol / Q000032:analysis*; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D009584:Nitrogen; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol / Q000737:chemistry*; D013816:Thermodynamics; D014050:Toluene / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D005740:Gases; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D014050:Toluene; D000431:Ethanol; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol; D009584:Nitrogen; D000432:Methanol