Chemical Sensing Properties of Bulk Nanostructured Elastomer-Carbon Composite

In the given paper is reported the change of the electrical resistance of polyisoprene-high structure carbon nanoparticle composites (PHSNC) studied during exposure to different organic solvent vapours. In particular, change of electric resistance of nanocomposite depending on time of contact to vapours of organic solvents, and also from concentration of these vapours is in detail considered. The highest sensitivity is detected at concentration of 9-11 mass parts of the nanoparticle filler corresponding to percolation region of the composite. Resistance of such composite should increase remarkably and reversibly due to swelling of the composite matrix. Certainly, this phenomenon is already well enough known and even has received the name of "electronic nose". A number of studies are concerned with application of the effect (enviromental and food-quality monitoring, medical diagnostics). However, the time of reaction of the common "electronic nose" to any chemical compounds (according to published data) is 20 minutes or more