Electrospun Polyvinyl Alcohol Nanofibers Containing Titanium Dioxide for Gas Sensor Applications

Electrospun nanofibers for gas sensor application were effectively prepared from polyvinyl alcohol and pluronic solution with different percentages of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles. Nanofibers membrane was subject to detailed analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). Adding TiO2 nanoparticles to the blended solution increased nanofibers diameters from 280 +/- 20 to 310 +/- 30 nm. The gas sensor response of TiO2 nanofibers (as a function of temperature) was estimated toward liquid petroleum gas (LPG), CO2, and O-2 and compared with pure nanofibers. The maximum response value (100%) was obtained for LPG at 160 degrees C with TiO2 nanofibers (0.01%). These results show promising gas sensing characteristics (such as lower operating temperatures and sufficient gas responses) for those nanofibers materials.