Metal-Phthalocyanine Functionalized CNTs Sensor for Chloroform Series

Abstract

In this paper, we report the fabrication of sensors from multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) functionalized with metal-phthalocyanines (M-Pc or Cu-Phs). We made a very sensitive and selective sensor for Chloroform. We had characterized the material using FTIR and TEM techniques. We inferred that the metal-Pc form nanoclusters around the surface of f-MWNTs and the sensors prepared from these materials show resistivity in the kilo-ohm range. Our sensors show sensing capability of 100 ppm and the response as well as recovery times of a few seconds. We observed interesting behavior of the sensors made from M-Pc on exposure to chloroform (CHCl3) vapours while for many other vopours like carbon tetra chloride (CCl4), dichloromethane (CH2Cl2), clorine water (Cl2) showed opposite results after the exposure on these sensors. We shall discuss the differences in the response and recovery time, and the mechanism of sensing for chloroform and other vapours.