Copper Oxide Based Polymer Nanohybrid for Chemical Sensor Applications

PCC based nanohybrid has been synthesized by simple intercalation of CuO nano-sheets into PPC matrix. The morphological and phisochemical structure of nanohybrid was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy. Interestingly, the morphology of CuO nano-sheets was changed into nanoparticles after intercalation into the polymer matrix. From application point of view, chemical sensing performance of PPC and nanohybrid was investigated by simple I-V technique using nitrophenol as an organic pollutant. By applying to nitrophenol sensing, both PPC and nanohybrid performed as best nitrophenol chemi-sensor in terms of sensitivity. Nanohybrid showed 11.25 times higher sensitivity (4.50 μA.cm−2.mM−1) than pure PCC (0.40 μA.cm−2.mM−1). Therefore, nanohybridization is an efficient route to improve sensing performance of PPC.