A novel ammonia sensor based on cellulose/graphene oxide functionalized with ethylenediamine

Abstract

In this study eco-friendly cellulose/graphene oxide scaffold has been formulated in the presence of different ratios of ethylenediamine (EDA) as a crosslinker via a lyophilization instrument. Cellulose was extracted from paper wastes and companied with graphene oxide (GO). Chemical structure and surface morphology of the extracted cellulose and cellulose/GO foam were investigated by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and the scanning electron microscope (SEM) techniques. The prepared cellulose/GO foam was used as a gas sensing material, including the sensitivity and response/recovery times toward NH3 vapor. The cellulose/GO cryogel which was prepared with the addition of 1.5 mmol of EDA showed the highest sensitivity at room temperature with the response and recovery times at 490 and 620 s, respectively, compared to the cryogel prepared with 2.25 mmol EDA and the pristine cellulose cryogel.