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Since the properties of polyaniline (PANI) are widely related to the type of its dopant, the present manuscript has an objective to define whether and to what extent the protic ionic liquids contribute to doping PANI. Hence, pyrrolidinium p-toluenesulfonate [Pyrr][PTS] – a protic ionic liquid – has been investigated either as a polymerisation medium or as a secondary dopant. As for the polymerisation medium, it was found that binary mixtures of [Pyrr][PTS]/water, with different weight ratios, are convenient to prepare PANI in emeraldine salt form. Furthermore, the structural analysis of the resulted PANI has revealed that the cation of [Pyrr][PTS] does not functionalise PANI backbone and [Pyrr][PTS] acts like the typical Brønsted acid in doping PANI, regardless of the amount of [Pyrr][PTS] in the polymerisation medium. To confirm this conclusion, [Pyrr][PTS] has also been studied as a secondary dopant: the conventional PANI has been prepared, deprotonated then dispersed into [Pyrr][PTS]/water with different formulations. The results have shown that [Pyrr][PTS] leads to the formation of reprotonated PANI without altering structural change. One can thus conclude that the noncovalent functionalisation of PANI with the cation of the protic ionic liquids is not an exigent requirement to prepare the emeraldine salt form of PANI in aqueous solutions of protic ionic liquids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a unique combination of three components in the form of a ternary nanocomposite, PANI/CD/SnO2, for ammonia gas sensing at room temperature. This nanocomposite was synthesized via in situ chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline, in which other components were incorporated to form binary PANI/CD and ternary PANI/CD/SnO2 nanocomposites. The fabrication process initially involved optimization of the PANI/CD nanocomposite and then incorporation of an optimized amount of SnO2 to finally produce the ternary PANI/CD/SnO2 nanocomposite. The ternary composite demonstrated better sensing properties than those of both PANI/CD (1:0.5) and pristine PANI in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, and response time over a concentration range of 5–100 ppm NH3. The response of the PANI/CD/SnO2 nanocomposite was 21.6% towards 100 ppm NH3, which was higher than that of pure PANI and the PANI/CD nanocomposite. The ternary composite exhibited higher selectivity for ammonia over other gases as compared to PANI and the PANI/CD (1:0.5) nanocomposite. The PANI/CD/SnO2 composite also achieved a shorter response time (94 s) than pure PANI (162 s) and the PANI/CD (144 s) composite, and it demonstrated a nearly linear variation in response with the analyte concentration. High repeatability and long-term stability further enhanced the possibility of real-world application of the proposed ternary nanocomposite for practical room-temperature ammonia sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of ionic‐electronic coupling on the electrical conductivity and the photoconductivity of organic mixed ionic electronic conductor (OMIECs) of polyaniline/poly (4‐styrene sulfonic acid) (PANI/PSS) composite films. PANI/PSS composite films are connected by blending the carbon atoms within the aromatic ring in PANI with sulfonate groups in PSS. The electrical conductivity of PANI/PSS composite film increases from 0.80S.cm−1 to 1.23S.cm−1 as the pH value increases from 3 to 9. The electrical conductivity of PANI/PSS composite films for all pH values increases continuously as the temperature increases. Additionally, the PANI/PSS composite films exhibit photo responses at UV light since the band structure can absorb the light in this region. The photoconductivity curves of PANI/PSS composite films for different pH values exhibit good consistency and repeatability. Modeling raising photoconductivity and decaying conductivity after light off leads us to understand the underlying physics of the ionic‐electronic coupling and other parameters on the photoconductivity of OMIECs, consequently building OMIEC devices for different photoconductivity applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stunning thermoelectric behavior of inorganic/organic hybrids and the lack of information on screen-printed flexible thermoelectric generators based on Cu 3 Se 2 and Polyaniline for low-temperature applications have motivated this work. The synergic influence of various acid dopants, concentration, and annealing temperature of polyaniline on the power density of Cu 3 Se 2 /PANI ink-based flexible thermoelectric generator is explored. The presence of 1.5 wt% of H 2 SO 4 -PANI, annealed at 60 °C, decreased the bandgap and electrical resistance of Cu 3 Se 2 by 11.96 % and 29.4 %, respectively. As a result, an increase of 46.06 % in the Seebeck coefficient and 242 % in the power output is achieved, which is many folds higher than the few reported works using novel materials. In addition, the Cu 3 Se 2 /H 2 SO 4 -PANI ink-based flexible thermoelectric generator with eight legs exhibited a maximum power output, power density, and power factor of 25.69 nW, 23.79 mW/m2, and 0.77 nW/m2K2 at ΔT = 100 °C, respectively under external load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To obtain electrostatic charge dissipative (ESD) materials, high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyaniline (PANI) blends are synthesized by the solution blending method. To prepare the blends, 0.5, 1.0, and 3.0 wt% of PANI are introduced into the HDPE matrix. The prepared blends are investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Additionally, stress–strain curves are used to examine the blends' mechanical properties. Polyaniline additions indicated an increase in thermal stability by approximately 1°C in the blends but decrease in mechanical properties. The four‐probe technique is used to determine the electrical conductivity of blends, which is found to be between 10−7 and 10−10 S/cm. The results of the conductivity values have indicated that all blends have great potential to be used as antistatic materials. For antistatic applications, the ESD performance of the blends is determined at different corona voltages. Blends achieved the antistatic requirements with a 10% cutoff decay time of approximately 2.0 s and a 1/e time of approximately 1.0 s, demonstrating quick dissipation of static charges. According to antistatic decay times, it has been shown that all blends obtained in this study can be used as antistatic material at 3 kV corona voltage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we explored the behavior of protonated polyaniline/graphene oxide (PANI‐CSA/GO) nanocomposite films with varying GO concentrations, focusing on the novel phenomenon of explosive percolation. We observed a significant increase in electrical conductivity at the explosive percolation threshold, attributed to the emergence of a percolating metallic pathway. This discovery positions PANI‐CSA/GO films as promising materials for various electronic and electrical engineering applications. Additionally, the films demonstrated consistent and repeatable photoconductivity, showing potential for use in high‐performance UV‐photodetectors, photoactive layers in solar cells, light‐emitting diodes, and energy storage devices. Structural analyses using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and x‐ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed successful GO incorporation within the PANI‐CSA matrix. Different morphological features were observed depending on the GO volume fraction, with increased GO enhancing thermal stability in the conductive zone. Our findings highlight the immense potential of PANI‐CSA/GO nanocomposite films in advanced electronic applications, emphasizing their novel conductive and photoconductive properties and improved thermal stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel NH3 gas sensor is introduced, employing polyaniline (PANI) with a unique structure called a graft film. The preparation method was simple: polydopamine (PD) was coated on a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film and PANI graft chains were grown on its surface. This distinctive three-layer sensor showed a response value of 12 for 50 ppm NH3 in a dry atmosphere at 50 °C. This value surpasses those of previously reported sensors using structurally controlled PANI films. Additionally, it is on par with sensors that combine PANI with metal oxide semiconductors or carbon materials, the high sensitivity of which have been reported. To confirm our film's potential as a flexible sensor, the effect of bending on the its characteristics was investigated. This revealed that although bending decreased the response value, it had no effect on the response time or recovery. This indicated that the sensor film itself was not broken by bending and had sufficient mechanical strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PANI is a nanostructure conductive polymer that has been widely researched by making nanofibers using electrospinning, by adding PVA as a non-conductive material. In this research, we have successfully synthesized PVA/PANI nanofiber using the electrospinning method and applied it as a humidity sensor. The oxidation polymerization method was conducted to produce polyaniline (PANI) powder. PVA was used as a non-conductive polymer to carry PANI. PANI is blended with 10 % PVA to produce nanofiber PVA/PANI. The results of the synthesis of PVA/PANI nanofibers using the electrospinning method have been characterized by FTIR and EDX to identify the functional groups and elements of PVA/PANI. The FTIR results confirmed that for the PVA nanofiber samples, the type of polyvinyl alcohol bond has been identified according to the reference. The EDX results show the elements C, O and N. The element nitrogen (N) is the characteristic element of polyaniline (C6H5(NH)2)n. The optical Microscope and Scanning Electron Microscope show that the electrospinning method has succeeded in synthesizing PVA/PANI nanofibers with a fiber size of around 0.313 mm. The porosity of PVA/PANI is around 55 %, which is related to the ability of PVA/PANI sensitivity to detect humidity. These results are demonstrated by measurements using a Four-Point Probe (FPP), with the humidity value varying from 64 - 80 %. The results show that variations of PANI powder content improve the sensitivity performance of PVA/PANI nanofibers. This method can optimize PVA/PANI nanofiber as a humidity sensor, increase conductivity flexibility, make it easier and enhance the PANI to use as an active sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The actual manufacture of supercapacitors (SCs) is restricted by the inadequate energy density, and the energy density of devices can be properly promoted by assembling zinc-ion capacitors (ZICs) which used capacitive cathode and battery-type anode. Two-dimensional (2D) MXene has brought great focuses in the electrode research on the foundation of large redox-active surface, but the specific capacitance is still affected by the tight stacking of interlaminations. Ti3C2Tx@polyaniline (PANI) heterostructures are prepared by uniformly depositing the conductive polymer PANI nanorods as the intercalation agent into the external of Ti3C2Tx nanosheets to inhibit stacking. Subsequently, by using graphene oxide (GO)-assisted low-temperature hydrothermal self-assembly manufacture, 2D heterostructures are assembled into the three-dimensional (3D) porous crosslinked Ti3C2Tx@PANI-reduced graphene oxide (RGO) hydrogels. Attributed to the synergistic work of PANI nanorods, Ti3C2TX nanosheets, and 3D crosslinking frameworks of RGO to match capacitive and battery effects, 3D porous hierarchical Ti3C2Tx@PANI-RGO heterostructure hydrogels have rich ion transport channels, a large number of active sites, and excellent reaction kinetics. ZIC is assembled by using Ti3C2Tx@PANI-RGO heterostructure hydrogels as cathodes and zinc foil as anodes. In this work, Ti3C2Tx@PANI-RGO//Zn ZIC exhibits a wide working window (2.0 V), marked specific capacitance (589.89 F·g−1 at 0.5 A·g−1), salient energy density (327.71 Wh·kg−1 at 513.61 W·kg−1 and 192.20 Wh·kg−1 at 13,005.87 W·kg−1), and durable cycling stability (97.87% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles at 10 A·g−1). This study emphasizes the device design of ZICs and the broad prospect of Ti3C2Tx-based hydrogels as viable cathodes for ZICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, flexible electromechanical devices (EMDs) emerged as alternatives to rigid electronics, promoting polymeric materials over traditional semiconductors. This study develops EMDs using conductive nanofibrous membranes of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), polyaniline (PANI), and multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in various structures. The fabrication technique included the combination of electrospinning and in situ polymerization to create random and aligned conductive membranes. Morphological, mechanical, thermomechanical, and electrical characterizations were conducted to assess their potential in EMDs applications. Mechanical testing revealed that, in comparison to aligned pure TPU mats, aligned TPU/PANI and TPU/MWCNTs/PANI membranes exhibited maximum strains of 26% and 19%, respectively. Meanwhile, randomly oriented mats, TPU/PANI and TPU/MWCNTs/PANI demonstrated maximum strains of 18% and 27%, respectively. Moreover, incorporating PANI and/or MWCNTs increased the Young's modulus. Thermogravimetric analysis showed thermal stability up to 250°C for all mats, with TPU/PANI mats demonstrating superior stability. Dynamic mechanical analysis revealed that PANI incorporation increased the storage modulus from 119 and 180 MPa to 2012 and 1367 MPa for aligned and random mats, respectively, compared with pure TPU mats. The combination of MWCNTs and PANI yielded moduli of 1501 and 1096 MPa, respectively. All conductive mats exhibited symmetric ohmic behavior, with conductivities varying based on orientation and composition. Specifically, TPU/PANI and TPU/MWCNTs/PANI mats exhibited conductivities of 0.83 and 1.78 S/cm for aligned mats, and 0.35 and 0.67 S/cm for random mats, respectively. Pure TPU, on the other hand, displayed a conductivity of 1.8 × 10−10 S/cm, indicating a significantly lower conductivity compared with the other mats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PANI/Fe-doped CeO2 nanocomposite was synthesised by the in-situ process. The produced powders were characterised by XRD, XPS, FT-IR, Raman, HRTEM and SEM-EDS tests. The sensors' function was based on PANI/Fe-doped CeO2 nanocomposite with thin film deposited on top of interdigitated electrodes (IDT). NH3 detection with PANI/Fe-doped CeO2 nanocomposite sensor could be successfully performed even at room temperature (RT) and relative humidity of 45 %. Results demonstrated that PANI/Fe-doped CeO2 might be promising sensing materials for detecting the low NH3 concentration (ppm). In addition, the sensor is selective to the interfering gases, including CO, CO2 and NO2. This sensor displays acceptable repeatability and stability over time.

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known as "forever chemicals," are a growing concern in the sphere of human and environmental health. In response, rapid, reproducible, and inexpensive methods for PFAS detection in the environment and home water supplies are needed. We have developed a simple and inexpensive perfluoroalkyl acid detection method based on an electrically read lateral flow assay (e-LFA). Our method employs a fluorous surfactant formulation with undoped polyaniline (F-PANI) fabricated to create test lines for the lateral flow assay. In perfluoroalkyl acid sensing studies, an increase in conductivity of the F-PANI film is caused by acidification and doping of PANI. A conductivity enhancement by 104-fold can be produced by this method, and we demonstrate a limit of detection for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) of 400 ppt and perfluorobutanoic acid of 200 ppt. This method for PFOA detection can be expanded for wide-scale environmental and at-home water testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article clarifies the thin layer deposition of superhydrophobic coating using eco‐friendly polymer (polyaniline [PANI]) incorporated with TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles on indium tin oxide substrate. Using the cyclic voltammetry method, in situ polymerization of PANI incorporated with hybrid (TiO2–ZnO) was accomplished. The morphology and hydrophobicity of electro‐deposited films were examined; the impact of deposition cycles was also investigated. The morphological structure was studied using field‐emission scanning electron microscopy and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis proved the incorporation of nanoparticles into the composite matrix. Additionally, the water contact angle of the PANI composite was found to be 150.4°, and the findings reflected that (TiO2–ZnO) nanoparticles were significantly implicated in enhancing this superhydrophobicity. The surface roughness of the PANI matrix was increased when TiO2 and ZnO are added, as was shown by atomic force microscope investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A graphene oxide-Ru(bpy)32+-polyaniline-nanocomposite (GO-Ru(bpy)32+-PANI) was prepared to develop a sensitive label-free electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunosensor for mucoprotein 1 (MUC1). Ru(bpy)32+ and PANI were decorated together on graphene oxide for the first time. The GO-Ru(bpy)32+-PANI material was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), absorption spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), fluorescence, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and ECL. The GO-Ru(bpy)32+-PANI exhibited excellent stability. The ECL immunosensor for MUC1 was fabricated by covalently immobilizing anti-MUC1 upon GO-Ru(bpy)32+-PANI modified indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) electrode. In the presence of MUC1, a decrease of ECL was observed due to the formation of the anti-MUC1/MUC1 complex. The immunosensor showed a linear relationship from 1 × 10−13 to 1 × 10−7 mg/mL with a detection limit of 8.2 × 10−14 mg/mL. The immunosensor was applied to the determination of MUC1 in human serum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore a methodology for tailoring the d-band center of metal oxide catalysts, a distinctive composite is synthesized by incorporating polyaniline (PANI) particles with specific atoms of Co3O4 nanorods. The introduction of the requisite amount of PANI significantly enhances the electrocatalytic activity, yielding an excellent functionality with a minimum detection limit of 0.676 μM and a high sensitivity of 3.024 μA μM–1 cm–2 for glucose. The opening potential for the oxygen evolution reaction registers at 1.41 V, while the overpotential is 290 mV. However, when the PANI layer completely covers the Co3O4 surface, a substantial decline in electrochemical properties is observed, indicating that active atoms on the Co3O4 plane should be preferentially exposed. Additionally, density functional theory calculations reveal that bonding of an appropriate quantity of polyaniline particles can modify bonding states and antibonding states of Co–O within the Co3O4 complex, leading to a shift of the d-band center closer to the Fermi level, thereby enhancing its electrocatalytic activity. These findings underscore the practicality of this manipulation strategy for glucose sensing and oxygen evolution reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to obtain polyaniline/polylactic acid/ZnO (PAni/PLA/ZnO) films via Solution Blow Spraying (SBSp) in order to evaluate their structural, morphological, optical and thermoresistive properties in application such as in temperature sensors. The SBSp technique is a variation of Solution Blow Spinning (SBS), allowing film deposition on any surface using pressurized air and a polymeric solution. ZnO was synthesized via combustion reaction, a method known for producing nanosized particles. PLA was incorporated in the proportion of 10 wt%, while ZnO concentrations ranged from 10% to 60 wt %. Structural analyzes were performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) for the polymers; the morphology of the films was analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM); Ultraviolet–visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopy was performed to obtain the bandgap of the material; thermal analysis was carried out by thermogravimetry and the thermosensitive properties were evaluated by a multimeter in a muffle. XRD results confirmed that the PANi/PLA/ZnO film was obtained using the SBSp method, with crystalline phases corresponding to ZnO and PANi. SEM showed an agglomerated and porous appearance of the samples. Decomposition temperatures according to thermogravimetric analysis (TG) were in the range of 200–400 °C, showing that under this regime the films can present their thermoresistive properties without decomposing with temperature. The bandgap was in the range of 2.32–3.92 eV, confirming values of a semiconductor, and that the presence of PLA did not affect this property. Thermoresistive tests demonstrated a Negative Temperature Coefficient (NTC) behavior, indicating that the PAni/PLA/ZnO films obtained by SBSp possess thermoresistive properties suitable for low-temperature sensing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymeric membranes are useful tools for water filtration processes, with their performance strongly dependent on the presence of hydrophilic dopants. In this study, polyaniline (PANI)-capped aluminosilicate (halloysite) nanotubes (HNTs) are dispersed into polyether sulfone (PES), with concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 wt%, to modify the properties of the PES membrane. Both undoped and HNT-doped PES membranes are investigated in terms of wettability (static and time-dependent contact angle), permeance, mechanical resistance, and morphology (using scanning electron microscopy (SEM)). The higher water permeance observed for the PES membranes incorporating PANI-capped HNTs is, finally, assessed and discussed vis-à-vis the real distribution of HNTs. Indeed, the imaging and characterization in terms of composition, spatial arrangement, and counting of HNTs embedded within the polymeric matrix are demonstrated using non-destructive Micro Particle Induced X-ray Emission (µ-PIXE) and Scanning Transmission Ion Microscopy (STIM) techniques. This approach not only exhibits the unique ability to detect/highlight the distribution of HNTs incorporated throughout the whole thickness of polymer membranes and provide volumetric morphological information consistent with SEM imaging, but also overcomes the limits of the most common analytical techniques exploiting electron probes. These aspects are comprehensively discussed in terms of practical analysis advantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the efficient detection and monitoring of dangerous gases across a variety of sectors, gas sensors are crucial. This work is focused on the fabrication of room temperature ammonia sensor based on polyaniline (PANI) and its nanocomposite with zinc oxide (ZnO) via facile in-situ chemical polymerization method. A number of different samples with varying amount of ZnO incorporated in polyaniline matrix and studied ammonia sensing properties for the temperature range 20–100 °C. In comparison with pristine PANI and other prepared sensors, the ammonia sensor containing 20 wt% ZnO in PANI (PZ20) showed greater gas sensing performance. The proposed sensor exhibited the response of 1.43–25.24% for 5–200 ppm of NH3 with 5 ppm as lower limit of detection and 18 s as response time. In addition, the sensor exhibited good repeatability, long-term durability and selectivity over other gaseous analytes, such as H2, C2H5OH, NO2, CO and CO2. The proposed ammonia sensor showed its potential towards detection of ammonia at ambient environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multifunctional intelligent fabric plays an integral role in health management, human–machine interaction, wireless energy storage and conversion, and many other artificial intelligence fields. Herein, we demonstrate a newly developed MXene/polyaniline (PANI) multifunctional fabric integrated with strain sensing, electrochemical energy storage, and electromagnetic shielding properties. The multifunctional fabric-based strain sensor possesses a real-time signal response at a sizeable tensile strain of 100% with a minute strain of 0.5%, maintaining a stable and consistent signal response even after 3000 stretch–release cycles. In addition, the multifunctional fabric exhibits excellent electromagnetic shielding capabilities, achieving a total shielding effectiveness value of up to 43 dB, and in the meantime shows attractive electrochemical energy storage performance as an electrode in a supercapacitor, offering a maximum specific capacity and energy density of 522.5 mF·cm−2 and 18.16 µWh·cm−2, respectively. Such a multifunctional intelligent fabric offers versatile opportunities to develop smart clothes for various artificial intelligent applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study deals with the effect of adding different fillers (semiconductor and insulator) on a polystyrene (PS)/poly‐methyl methacrylate (PMMA) polymer blend using casting method. A constant content (1 wt%) of semiconductors [multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), polyaniline (PANI), zinc oxide nanoparticles (NPs), and titanium dioxide NPs] and insulator [silicon dioxide NPs] fillers is used. Transmission electron microscopy images for MWCNTs show that most nanotubes have an average diameter of 7–11 nm. Moreover, the average size of all metal nano‐oxides is almost 20 nm and confirmed by X‐ray diffraction. Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy confirms the formation and the interaction between PS/PMMA polymer blend and fillers. The structural, mechanical, optical, and dielectric properties of the prepared polymer nanocomposites are studied using different tools. Optical characteristics such as absorbance, reflection, bandgap energy (Eg), and optical dielectric components (real and imaginary) are studied. These results reveal that pure 20PS/80PMMA film has Eg(direct) = 4.46 eV, which drops as different fillers are incorporated into the blend. The addition of MWCNTs, PANI to the PS/PMMA blend improves the electrical conductivity due to the growth of conductive paths between the filler and the blending matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel NH3 gas sensor is introduced, employing polyaniline (PANI) with a unique structure called a graft film. The preparation method was simple: polydopamine (PD) was coated on a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film and PANI graft chains were grown on its surface. This distinctive three-layer sensor showed a response value of 12 for 50 ppm NH3 in a dry atmosphere at 50 °C. This value surpasses those of previously reported sensors using structurally controlled PANI films. Additionally, it is on par with sensors that combine PANI with metal oxide semiconductors or carbon materials, the high sensitivity of which have been reported. To confirm our film’s potential as a flexible sensor, the effect of bending on the its characteristics was investigated. This revealed that although bending decreased the response value, it had no effect on the response time or recovery. This indicated that the sensor film itself was not broken by bending and had sufficient mechanical strength.

Potentiometric sensing of oxyanions such as arsenate over self-assembly engineered and chemically responsive molybdenum dioxide grafted polyaniline (PANI/MoO3) plated ITO glass electrode has been reported. FT-IR, XRD, SEM, EDX, STEM-mapping, Raman spectroscopy, and N2 adsorption-desorption measurements were used to determine the impact of molecular architecture on the structure, morphology, and physical characteristics of PANI/MoO3. The obtained result implies the synthesis of a porous hybrid nanostructured material with enhanced orientated crystallinity, enhanced adsorption capacity, and responsiveness because of an optimized molecular structure and crystallinity alignment. The limit of detection (LOD) for detecting As(V) ions by using PANI/MoO3 composite/ITO electrodes based on the differential pulse voltammetry technique (DPV) was found to be around 0.15 ppb. The interaction between arsenate and molybdate oxyanions led to the development of an induced potential, which helped to clarify the sensing mechanism, charge transfer, and shifting characteristics. For the on-site detection of residual arsenate in diverse environmental samples, the analytical performance of the produced electrode in a genuine sample was also investigated.

Hydrogen (H 2) production in water-splitting could be significantly increased by designing cost-effective photocatalysts with remarkable performance. The main objective of this study is to recognize the behavior of soot carbon-based metal nitrides nanocomposites on its photocatalytic activity when exposed to solar lights. This study synthesized a p-n heterojunction Ta 3 N 5 /PANI composite photocatalyst modified by eco-friendly and low-cost biomass soot carbon (BSC) using hydrothermal and chemisorption methods. BSC materials are photoactive when exposed to UV light because of their band gap (E g < 4 eV), indicating they behave as semiconductors. Compared to pure Ta 3 N 5 , the hydrogen production rate of a photocatalyst containing polyaniline (PANI) can reach up to 76.9 μmol g−1 h−1, equivalent to 3.42 times superior to pristine Ta 3 N 5. The formation of a p-n heterojunction at the interface of PANI and Ta 3 N 5 was primarily responsible for improving the H 2 evolution activity. This successfully prevents the self-photocorrosion of Ta 3 N 5 by providing a rapid route for the migration and separation of photogenerated charges. It also confirms the long-term stability of the materials by repeating the experiments up to 6 cycles with more than 95 %. [Display omitted] • Ta 3 N 5 /BSC@PANI have been successfully prepared via mechanical and chemisorption techniques. • Various characterization methods were used to reveal the structural and morphological of materials. • Light-driven water splitting via Ta 3 N 5 /BSC@PANI composite was favorably demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sensing behavior of polyaniline‐betel nut fiber (PANI/BNF) composite synthesized through a one‐step in situ oxidative polymerization method using HCl, H2SO4 and H3PO4 as doping acids. The deposition of emeraldine salt (ES) form of PANI on betel nut filament surface is explained by Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) and Ultraviolet–Visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that PANI particle size decreased and the thickness of the coated PANI layer increased with reaction time. Optical band gap of Polyaniline‐Betel nut fiber composites (PB) PB‐2, PB‐4 and PB‐6 were found be 3.68, 3.37, and 2.75 eV using the Tauc plot. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis showed that HCl‐doped PANI/BNF composites have high crystallinity and thermal stability as compared to the composites formed using H2SO4 and H3PO4. The electrical conductivity of the composites was determined by using a multimeter (Keithley Model 2000). The conducting filaments showed good resistive sensing activity toward LPG with minimum (100 ppm) 26% and maximum (1300 ppm) 44% of response sensitivity with decreasing response time and increasing recovery time. The plausible response mechanism of PANI/cellulose sensor toward LPG operating at room temperature is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our environment is getting effluent day by day due to modernization and industrialization which leads to more serious issues in recent years. Hydrogen energy is considered a green, clean, and sustainable alternative energy carrier. So, the present work is focused on the effective storing of hydrogen on metal hydride (MgH2) and natural clay nanotube (A-HNT) decorated conductive polymer (PANI) nanocomposite. A facile two-step synthesis was adopted for the preparation of B-MgH2/A-HNT/PANI nanocomposite. The structural, morphological, elemental, and specific surface area studies of the prepared B-MgH2/A-HNT/PANI nanocomposite confirm the presence of B-MgH2, A-HNT, and PANI. During ball milling, more defective sites were created at the surface of MgH2, A-HNT, and PANI and thereby more specific surface area (441.2 m2 g−1) in the case of B-MgH2/A-HNT/PANI nanocomposite. In contrast, the addition of PANI and A-HNT promotes quick disintegration of B-MgH2 at 252 °C instead of 352 °C which is authenticated by all-thermal analysis (Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and Temperature-Programmed Desorption (TPD)). The amount of stored hydrogen (Sievert's-like hydrogenation setup) was found to be 7.9 wt% at 110 °C, and the binding energy of stored hydrogen lies in the recommended range (0.33–0.6 eV) of US-Department of Energy (US-DOE) 2025 targets. The prepared B-MgH2/A-HNT/PANI nanocomposite was utilized as a working electrode in the electrochemical hydrogen storage where 2498 mAh/g discharge capacity (corresponds to 7.5 wt% hydrogen storage capacity) was attained at 24th cycle of the discharging process. In addition, coulombic efficiency of 95.3%, capacitance retention of 79.8%, and superior corrosion resistance of 25.5 mA/cm2 were noticed for B-MgH2/A-HNT/PANI. The improved electrochemical activity of B-MgH2/A-HNT/PANI was attributed to the synergistic effect of A-HNT and PANI species in B-MgH2 towards charge transfer during the charging and discharging processes. Moreover, the hydrogen storage capacity of B-MgH2/A-HNT/PANI estimated using Sievert's-like hydrogen storage method is almost the same as in the electrochemical storage method. Hence, these characteristics authenticate that the prepared B-MgH2/A-HNT/PANI nanocomposite may serve as an excellent hydrogen storage medium for weakly chemisorbed hydrogens and as a working electrode to store hydrogens electrochemically for renewable energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a fabrication of a hyper-sensitive amperometric biosensor for paraoxon-ethyl (PE) detection. In this developed biosensor, polyaniline (PANI) and copper oxide (CuO)–based nanocomposite is used as a sensing platform. The homogeneous distribution of CuO onto the PANI matrix enhances the surface area and conductivity of the nanocomposite. Additionally, the PANI produces a compatible environment for enzyme immobilization, which further enhances the rate of electron transfer. For biosensor fabrication, the nanocomposite is deposited electrophoretically onto the ITO glass substrate and immobilization of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme is conducted onto the fabricated electrode surface. The results validate good reproducibility, good stability, and high selectivity of the fabricated biosensor (AChE/PANI@CuO/ITO). The inhibition rate of paraoxon-ethyl (PE) is recorded in the concentration range of 1–200 nM with a low limit of detection of 0.096 nM or 96 pM. The sensitivity of the developed biosensor is found to be 49.86 µA(nM)−1. The developed biosensor is further successfully accomplished for the detection of PE in real samples like rice and pulse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemically converting CO2 to value-added multi-carbon (C2+) fuels and chemicals is a favorable way to achieve carbon neutrality. Herein, polyaniline/CuO nanosheets (PANI/CuO NSs) hybrid electrocatalysts are developed in order to achieve superior C2+ selectivity by imparting PANI functional component to the CuO NSs. The decorated PANI nanoparticles (NPs) can effectively stabilize the *CO intermediates and increase their coverage on the active Cu sites, which facilitates the C–C coupling to form multi-carbon products. Benefiting from the synergetic effect of PANI and CuO NSs, best Faradaic efficiency (FE) for C2+ product up to 66.4% at −1.6 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) in a H-cell measurement and 60.0% at 400 mA·cm−2 in a flow cell measurement are demonstrated by PANI/CuO NSs-25 sample. More importantly, the C2+ selectivity keeps stable even in a continuous measurement time period of 92 h in H-cell measurement. The present study may provide more insights for designing efficient hybrid materials toward superior C2+ production from electrocatalytic CO2 reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present investigation a promising conducting polymer, Polyaniline (PANI), and ZrO2-PANI nanocomposite are used for photocatalytic degradation of Carbol Fuchsin (CF) dye. Both materials were prepared via the in-situ polymerization method. Various nano-characterization techniques were used to investigate the fabricated materials. The structural investigation of ZrO2 and ZrO2-PANI nanocomposite was performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD). From this investigation, it was observed that ZrO2 belongs to the crystalline tetragonal phase possessing a crystallite size of 15.80 nm. The SEM analysis shows the flakes arrangement for undoped ZrO2, while improved agglomeration has been observed for modified ZrO2-PANI nanocomposite. The Raman shifts can be observed from Raman spectroscopy for both the fabricated materials. Organic dyes are considered to be persistent organic pollutants (POP's) that are toxic in nature. Here one of the POP dyes, CF was used in the photocatalytic efficiency of ZrO2 and ZrO2-PANI nanocomposite. The prepared polymerized catalysts are porous, possessing a high surface area with a tuned band gap, and are found very persistent, and rapid, for the water purification process via the Advanced Oxidation Process. The fabricated catalyst degrades the CF dye within 30 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

17β-estradiol is used as a growth and fertility stimulant in the agronomic sector to induce fertility and manipulate reproductive characteristics in animals. However, unintended or unregulated distribution and exposure to even significant low levels of 17β-estradiol estrogen have detrimental health implication that can lead to reproductive abnormalities and even cancer. This could have severe effect on the ecosystem imbalance, food safety, to such a degree that its health impact necessitates rapid methods to probe for its prevalence and occurrence in the environment. Herein a simple, robust, sensitive and once-off use electrochemical biosensor to detect 17β-estradiol is developed, using 3-mercaptopropionic acid capped zinc selenide quantum dots trapped within the polyaniline (PANI) framework structure. The biosensor's interaction with the substrate was based on the capability of the hemeprotein, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) enzyme (i.e., baroreceptor) to alternatively catalyze phenolic alcohols. The biosensor displayed a significantly low limit of detection limit (LOD) of value 0.2 × 10−6 M towards 17β-estradiol. The Mechaelis-Menten constant (Km) with the magnitude of 0.64 × 10−6 M was obtained; this indicates an outstanding affinity of the biosensing films towards 17β-estradiol. Subsequently, the developed biosensor was able to accurately and efficiently measure successive concentrations of 17β-estradiol from 0.2 × 10 to 4 × 10−6 M. The fabricated biosensor showed good selectivity towards 17β-estradiol compared to the other estrogenic endocrine-disrupting compounds such as estrone (E1), ethnylstradiol (EE2), and estriol (E3). The biosensor was capable of detecting 17β-estradiol in spiked tap water samples with good recoveries, thus affirming its potential to be applied for real electro-analysis of 17β-estradiol in treated wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conductivity of photocatalyst itself or its contacted media has a positive effect on the photocatalytic performance of the resultant photocatalytic composite materials. However, the relationship between the conductivity of polymer matrix and the photocatalytic activity of MOF-based photocatalysts is still inconclusive. In this study, the polyacrylonitrile-polyaniline-2-methylimidazole zinc salt (PAN-PANI-ZIF8) fiber membranes were prepared by doping ZIF8 particles with PAN and PANI matrices using electrospinning technique. The as-prepared fiber membranes were investigated by several characterization methods. Experimental results revealed that ZIF8, PAN and PANI were interacted with each other via the electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonds between PAN and PANI, the bonding of N atom of PAN to Zn2+ ion of ZIF8, and the bonding of protonated N atom on the quinone ring of PANI to Zn2+ ion of ZIF8. The energy band structure of PAN–PANI–ZIF8 fiber was totally dominated by the PANI component. The Zn2+ ion of ZIF8 and the functional groups of both C≡N of PAN and -NH- and = N+- of benzenoid/quinoid of PANI facilitated the transfer of charge carriers among ZIF8, PAN and PANI. The apparent photodegradation rate constant and the ion conductivities of the fiber membranes obeyed the quadratic polynomial equation. The matrix of PAN rather than PANI affected the active species of PAN–PANI–ZIF8 fiber membranes. The molecular dynamics simulation calculations indicated that ZIF-8 was strongly interacted with PANI as compared with PAN. This work proposed an efficient method in improving the photocatalytic activity of MOF-based photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyaniline (PANI) is one of the most extensively used conducting polymer due to its fascinating properties including conducting, thermal, optical, magnetic and electrochemical properties, simple synthesis procedure and low cost of monomer. It has attracted major attention in a variety of applications including electrochemical sensors, catalysts, supercapacitors and biosensors. However, its limitations such as insolubility in common solvents, low process‐ability and poor mechanical properties have led to the development of new approaches to improve it properties. Metal nanoparticles (MNPs) such as silver, gold, copper and palladium have been combined with PANI to improve on its properties which has led to a new class of materials known as metal/PANI nanocomposites. These hybrid nanocomposites incorporate advantages of both MNPs and polymers which effectively improves the properties of the individual materials. Various synthesis techniques including in situ polymerization, ɤ‐radiolysis, electrodeposition, complexation, vacuum deposition and interfacial polymerization have been used in the formation of metal/PANI nanocomposites. These nanocomposites have been used in various sensor and biosensor applications due to their excellent conductivity, ease of synthesis, excellent redox potentials, chemical and thermal stability. This review highlights the various metal/PANI nanocomposites, their various synthesis techniques and their application in sensors and biosensors. The importance of these nanocomposites in sensing and signaling various toxic heavy metals such as mercury, lead and silver and toxic gases such as hydrogen sulphide, ammonia and chloroform has been discussed. In addition the review covers the applications of metal/PANI nanocomposites in biosensor systems for the detection of glucose, DNA, protein, cholesterol, drugs and hydrogen peroxide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocomposite films of polyaniline protonated with camphor sulfonic acid (PANI-CSA) hosted in polyethylene oxide (PEO) and incorporated with gallium nitride nanoparticles (GaN-NPs) were synthesized and characterized. Nanocomposite films were coated on activated fused silica substrates by employing the spin coating technique. Films of PANI-CSA, PEO, PANI-CSA-PEO, and PANI-CSA-PEO incorporated with GaN-NPs with a weight percent ratio of 10%, 20.07%, 38.76%, 77.83%, 93.03%, 100.78%, and 155.04% with respect to PANI-CSA were characterized using UV–Vis spectroscopy, XRD, and SEM. Refractive index (n), extinction coefficient (k), absorption coefficient (α), and bandgap energies (Eg) were deduced. The refractive index value of PANI-CSA-PEO at 550 nm is found to be 1.72. It increases to 1.82 when GaN-NPs have been added to PANI-CSA-PEO solution by 10 wt.%. Then, it decreased to 1.63 when GaN-NPs concentration was increased to 20.07 wt.%. When GaN-NPs is increased further to higher concentrations, the material becomes GaN-rich PANI-CSA-PEO, and the refractive index takes values ranging between 1.56 and 1.66 at the higher concentration. The typical crystalline structure of PANI-CSA was vanishing gradually as GaN-NPs content was increasing at 155% wt.%, and the GaN crystalline nature was dominating the film crystallography. Results are anticipated to contribute to preparing smart multifunctional devices based on the PANI-CSA-PEO doped with GaN-NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymeric membranes are useful tools for water filtration processes, with their performance strongly dependent on the presence of hydrophilic dopants. In this study, polyaniline (PANI)-capped aluminosilicate (halloysite) nanotubes (HNTs) are dispersed into polyether sulfone (PES), with concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 wt%, to modify the properties of the PES membrane. Both undoped and HNT-doped PES membranes are investigated in terms of wettability (static and time-dependent contact angle), permeance, mechanical resistance, and morphology (using scanning electron microscopy (SEM)). The higher water permeance observed for the PES membranes incorporating PANI-capped HNTs is, finally, assessed and discussed vis-à-vis the real distribution of HNTs. Indeed, the imaging and characterization in terms of composition, spatial arrangement, and counting of HNTs embedded within the polymeric matrix are demonstrated using non-destructive Micro Particle Induced X-ray Emission (µ-PIXE) and Scanning Transmission Ion Microscopy (STIM) techniques. This approach not only exhibits the unique ability to detect/highlight the distribution of HNTs incorporated throughout the whole thickness of polymer membranes and provide volumetric morphological information consistent with SEM imaging, but also overcomes the limits of the most common analytical techniques exploiting electron probes. These aspects are comprehensively discussed in terms of practical analysis advantages.

Complex composite films based on polyaniline (PANI) doped hydrochloric acid (HCl) incorporated with aluminum nitrate (Al(NO3)3) on Au-layer were designed and synthesized as a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensing device. The physicochemical properties of (PANI-HCl)/Al(NO3)3 complex composite films were studied for various Al(NO3)3 concentrations (0, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 wt.%). The refractive index of the (PANI-HCl)/Al(NO3)3 complex composite films increased continuously as Al(NO3)3 concentrations increased. The electrical conductivity values increased from 5.10 µS/cm to 10.00 µS/cm as Al(NO3)3 concentration increased to 32 wt.%. The sensitivity of the SPR sensing device was investigated using a theoretical approach and experimental measurements. The theoretical system of SPR measurement confirmed that increasing Al(NO3)3 in (PANI-HCl)/Al(NO3)3 complex composite films enhanced the sensitivity from about 114.5 [Deg/RIU] for Au-layer to 159.0 [Deg/RIU] for Au-((PANI-HCl)/Al(NO3)3 (32 wt.%)). In addition, the signal-to-noise ratio for Au-layer was 3.95, which increased after coating by (PANI-HCl)/Al(NO3)3 (32 wt.%) complex composite layer to 8.82. Finally, we conclude that coating Au-layer by (PANI-HCl)/Al(NO3)3 complex composite films enhances the sensitivity of the SPR sensing device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work a conducting electrochemical sensing probe, Cr‐BDC‐NH2@PANI composite material (BDC=1,4‐benzenedicarboxylate), was successfully synthesized by polymerization of conducting polyaniline (PANI) around the Cr‐BDC‐NH2 material. The synthesized composite material was characterized by various analytical techniques. The Cr‐BDC‐NH2@PANI composite was successfully dropped cast on the surface of an inexpensive pencil graphite electrode (PGE) to detect the cadmium ions at trace level. The selectivity of proposed sensor observed towards cadmium ion is due to chelation mechanism operating between cadmium ions and amine groups. Under optimized condition, the proposed sensor is capable of measuring cadmium ions in aqueous as well as in human blood serum, plasma, and various water samples within the range of 0.50‐32.5 μg L−1 with the limit of detection (LOD) of 0.20 μg L−1. The Cr‐BDC‐NH2@PANI composite material modified sensor shows high affinity and no interference with real samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extensive growth of telecommunication and electronic devices has led to significant concerns regarding electromagnetic (EM) radiations. Thus, the effect of EM radiations can be reduced by using highly efficient shielding materials. This review aimed to explore the electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials based on polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyurethane (PU), and polyaniline (PANI) composites. It was found that the composites based on PVDF, PU, and PANI polymers have attracted considerable interest and highly efficient for EMI shielding due to their remarkable properties like lightweight, thermal stability, processing benefits, cheap, tremendous flexibility, and excellent resistance to corrosion. Hence, the PVDF-, PU-, and PANI-based composites are efficient EMI shielding materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• MoS₂-PANI nanocomposites were synthesized using a hydrothermal method at molar ratios of 1:0.25, 1:0.50, 1:0.75, and 1:1. • MoS₂-PANI (1:0.25) nanocomposite exhibited an almost amorphous, sponge-like morphology, enhanced luminosity, reduced energy bandgap, and superior electrical conductivity. • MoS₂-PANI (1:0.25) demonstrated significantly improved AC conductivity and low resistance to charge passage. • This work highlights the potential of MoS₂-PANI nanocomposites for applications that demand enhanced electrical and optical properties. This study aims to enhance the performance of MoS 2 by incorporating polyaniline (PANI) into the MoS 2 nanostructure, leading to the formation of MoS 2 -PANI nanocomposites. The primary focus is on optimizing the electrical performance, structural and morphological characteristics, and optical properties for various applications. The MoS 2 -PANI nanocomposites were synthesized using a hydrothermal technique with varying molar ratios (1:1, 1:0.75, 1:0.50, and 1:0.25). A comprehensive analysis was conducted using a range of characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. We also investigated the temperature-dependent behavior of these materials, which were deposited onto interdigitated electrodes, to gain insight into their conductivity and polarization resistance mechanisms. This involved measuring the electrical properties, such as I-V measurements, and performing AC conductivity and impedance analyses. The results highlight the remarkable efficacy of the MoS 2 -PANI (1:0.25) nanocomposite, which exhibits an almost amorphous and spongy-like structure, enhanced luminosity, reduced energy bandgap, and enhanced electrical conductivity. Furthermore, it exhibited improved AC conductivity and low resistance to charge passage, displaying temperature-dependent behavior that distinguishes it from other composite samples. This study emphasizes the considerable potential of MoS 2 -PANI nanocomposites as adaptable and efficient materials for various applications that require enhanced electrical and optical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of the application of conducting polymers (CPs) used in the design of tactile sensors. While conducting polymers can be used as a base in a variety of forms, such as films, particles, matrices, and fillers, the CPs generally remain the same. This paper, first, discusses the chemical and physical properties of conducting polymers. Next, it discusses how these polymers might be involved in the conversion of mechanical effects (such as pressure, force, tension, mass, displacement, deformation, torque, crack, creep, and others) into a change in electrical resistance through a charge transfer mechanism for tactile sensing. Polypyrrole, polyaniline, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), polydimethylsiloxane, and polyacetylene, as well as application examples of conducting polymers in tactile sensors, are overviewed. Attention is paid to the additives used in tactile sensor development, together with conducting polymers. There is a long list of additives and composites, used for different purposes, namely: cotton, polyurethane, PDMS, fabric, Ecoflex, Velostat, MXenes, and different forms of carbon such as graphene, MWCNT, etc. Some design aspects of the tactile sensor are highlighted. The charge transfer and operation principles of tactile sensors are discussed. Finally, some methods which have been applied for the design of sensors based on conductive polymers, are reviewed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface of the copper metal was successfully coated with a certain thickness of zinc-nickel-molybdenum (ZnNiMo) alloy by applying the chronopotentiometry technique. Then PANi and PPy homopolymer films were synthesized on the ZnNiMo coated Cu surface (Cu/ZnNiMo) in an aqueous sodium oxalate solution containing molybdate ion at certain concentrations. PANi and PPy film synthesis conditions were modelled by RSM applying Box-Behnken design by using three factors as molybdate ion concentration, monomer concentration and scan rate. Thus, the optimal synthesis conditions of PANi and PPy films on the Cu/ZnNiMo electrode were determined by evaluating anticorrosion performances. It has been determined that the relationship between the corrosion resistance of PANI and PPy films and the studied parameters can be modeled with quadratic and 2FI equations, respectively. The surface diagrams obtained for PPy were very interesting in that they showed that the change in any of the operating parameters reversed the change of the response depending on the other parameters. The anticorrosion properties of PANi and PPy homopolymer films that synthesized at their optimal conditions on Cu/ZnNiMo electrode surface were investigated by the Eocp-time curves, anodic polarization plots and AC impedance spectroscopy measurement, in 3.5% NaCl solution. PPy and PANi homopolymer films provided significant physical barrier property to Cu/ZnNiMo electrode. Besides, PANi film on Cu/ZnNiMo electrode surface exhibited significantly high more protection behavior in 3.5% NaCl solution than that of PPy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental pollution with cadmium (Cd) is a major concern worldwide, with prolonged exposure to this toxic heavy metal causing serious health problems, such as kidney damage, cancer, or cardiovascular diseases, only to mention a few. Herein, a gold-coated reflection-type fiber optic–-surface plasmon resonance (Au-coated FO-SPR) sensor is manufactured and functionalized with (i) bovine serum albumin (BSA), (ii) chitosan, and (iii) polyaniline (PANI), respectively, for the sensitive detection of cadmium ions (Cd 2 + ) in water. Then, the three sensor functionalization strategies are evaluated and compared one at a time. Out of these strategies, the BSA-functionalized FO-SPR sensor is found to be highly sensitive, exhibiting a limit of detection (LOD) for Cd 2 + detection at nM level. Moreover, the presence of Cd 2 + on the FO-SPR sensor surface was confirmed by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) technique and also quantified consecutively for all the above-mentioned functionalization strategies. Hence, the BSA-functionalized FO-SPR sensor is sensitive, provides a rapid detection time, and is cheap and portable, with potential applicability for monitoring trace-level amounts of Cd within environmental or potable water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]