Imidazole-based ionogel as room temperature benzene and formaldehyde sensor

A room temperature benzene and formaldehyde gas sensor system with an ionogel as sensing material is presented. The sensing layer is fabricated employing poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) polymerized in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethylsulfate ionic liquid onto gold interdigitated electrodes. When the ionogel is exposed to increasing formaldehyde concentrations employing N2as a carrier gas, a more stable response is observed in comparison to the bare ionic liquid, but no difference insensitivity occurs. On the other hand, when air is used as carrier gas the sensitivity of the system towards formaldehyde is decreased by one order of magnitude. At room temperature, the proposed sensor exhibited in air higher sensitivities to benzene, at concentrations ranging between 4 and 20 ppm resulting, in a limit of detection of 47 ppb, which is below the standard permitted concentrations. The selectivity of the IL towards HCHO and C6H6is demonstrated by the absence of response when another IL is employed. Humidity from the ambient air slightly affects the resistance of the system proving the protective role of the polymeric matrix. Furthermore, the gas sensor system showed fast response/recovery times considering the thickness of the material, suggesting that ionogel materials can be used as novel and highly efficient volatile organic compounds sensors operating at room temperature.This work was supported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) of Spain under the TEMIN-++AIR programs. N.G.-G. was supported by a PhD fellowship from the University of Navarra. F. B.-L. acknowledges the funding support from Gobierno de España, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, with Grant No. BIO2016-80417-P, and Gobierno Vasco Dpto. Educación for the consolidation of the research groups (IT1271-19)