Polymer nanocomposite-based Moisture Sensors for Monitoring of the Water Contents in the Natural Gas Pipelines

Abstract

In this study, the polymer-based humidity sensors investigated for humidity sensing applications. The key advantages of polymers that have garnered this attraction are their lightweight, easy preparation, and low cost of both materials and fabrication process. Different techniques used to enhance the surface morphology and sensitivity of polymeric films, which include synthesis of nanocomposites, copolymerization techniques, and blending of polymers. The incorporation of nanoparticles to the polymer matrix improves the electrical and mechanical properties of the polymeric film. We have investigated different polymer nanocomposites based humidity sensors on enhancing the sensitivity of the sensor, on achieving faster response and recovery time and lower hysteresis loss as compared to the polymeric humidity sensors. In the first phase, we investigated the PLA-TiO2 nanocomposite for humidity sensing applications. We have optimized the concentration of TiO2 in the PLA-TiO2 nanocomposite and apply acetone for the surface treatment of the sensing film. In the second phase, we studied the PVDF-TiO2 nanocomposite-based humidity sensor and achieved a linear response of the sensor and optimized the concentration of PVDF. In the third phase, we incorporated the BaTiO3 nanoparticles within optimized PVDF and studied the dielectric property of the nanocomposite film. PVDF-BaTiO3 sensors show a smaller hysteresis response. In the 4th phase, we blend the PVDF with SPEEK polymer; the optimized concentration of SPEEK improves the sensitivity of the humidity sensors at a lower humidity level.