Inkjet-Printing Polymer Nanocomposite for Detecting VOCs

Polymer nanocomposite (PNC) inks containing polyvinylpyrrolidone with a molecular weight of 40 kDa (PVP40) and a high structure carbon black (CB) were formulated for gas sensing applications. The formulation was optimized for inkjet printing by using a co-solvent system and tuning the ink’s viscosity. The Ink loaded with 10 wt.% PVP40, dissolved in a solvent mixture containing 70 wt.% deionized water and 30 wt.% gamma-butyrolactone showed an excellent printability. Adding up to 13 wt.% CB particles to the ink, with respect to polymer content, did not affect its printability. Printing PNC onto the sensor platform and measuring its response towards ethanol, acetone and humidity showed the higher affinity of the PNC to humidity and ethanol.