Hollow carbon-coated In2O3 (C#In2O3) nanofibers were prepared using an efficiently combined approach of electrospinning, high-temperature calcination, and hydrothermal process. The polyaniline (PANI)/hollow C#In2O3 nanofiber composites were synthesized used hollow C#In2O3 nanofibers worked as a core through the in situ chemical oxidative polymerization. The morphology and crystalline structure of the PANI/hollow C#In2O3 nanofiber composite were identified using wide-angle X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The gas-sensing performances of the fabricated PANI/hollow C#In2O3 nanofiber composite sensor were estimated at room temperature, and the response value of the composite sensor with an exposure of 1 ppm NH3 was 18.2, which was about 5.74 times larger than that of the pure PANI sensor. The PANI/hollow C#In2O3 nanofiber composite sensor was demonstrated to be highly sensitive to the detection of NH3 in the concentration range of 0.6~2.0 ppm, which is critical for kidney or hepatic disease detection from the human breath. This composite sensor also displayed superior repeatability and selectivity at room temperature with exposures of 1.0 and 2.0 ppm NH3. Because of the outstanding repeatability and selectivity to the detection of NH3 at 1.0 and 2.0 ppm confirmed in this investigation, the PANI/hollow C#In2O3 nanofiber composite sensor will be considered as a favorable gas-sensing material for kidney or hepatic disease detection from human breath.
Keywords: ammonia gas sensor; composite; hollow carbon-coated indium trioxide nanofiber; polyaniline.