Synergistic Effect of PANI/ZnO Composites for High-Sensitivity Ammonia Detection

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Nugrahani Primary Putri, Nazella Marva Ardani, Munasir, Zainul Arifin Imam Supardi, Frida Ulfah Ermawati, Diah Hari Kusumawati, Evi Suaebah, Wafa Maftuhin, Akhiruddin

2026 ChemistrySelect Vol. 11 Issue 12 Article Cited by 0 SDG 12 Quartile

Abstract

Ammonia (NH3) is a toxic gas that must be detected at low concentrations at room temperature. This study synthesized a polyaniline/zinc oxide (PANI/ZnO) composite via an in situ polymerization method, using ZnO prepared via green synthesis from pineapple peel waste. The composite was then applied to a printed circuit board (PCB) substrate with interdigitation electrodes and characterized using XRD, FTIR, and SEM-EDX. The sensor test results showed that PANI/ZnO with 0.3 g ZnO added provided the highest sensitivity of 79% at 4 ppm NH3, higher than that of pure PANI (61%). The sensor also showed a fast response time (20–29 s), a recovery time of 61–79 s, and good stability in repeated tests. This performance improvement resulted from the synergistic effect of the p–n heterojunction between PANI (p-type) and ZnO (n-type). This study confirms that the environmentally friendly PANI/ZnO composite has excellent potential to be developed as a low-concentration NH3 sensor at room temperature with sustainable and cost-effective application prospects. © 2026 Wiley-VCH GmbH.

Affiliations

Physics Department, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia; Physics Department, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia

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