Designing Nanotextured Vanadium Oxide-Based Macroscopic Fibers:  Application as Alcoholic Sensors

Abstract

Composite vanadium oxide/PVA/latex macroscopic fibers have been generated by using an extrusion process. Specifically, inorganic vanadium oxide fibers enable the detection of 0.1 ppm of ethanol within 3−5 s at 42 °C, which is certainly one of the highest sensitivities to date concerning alcohol sensors. More importantly, by varying the starting latex inclusion contents, the shear rates applied during the extrusion process, and the final appliance of a thermal treatment, we were able to segregate each parameter involved within the mechanical and sensing properties associated with these as-synthesized fibers, i.e., the amount of the organic insulator counterpart, the degree of vanadium oxide ribbons alignment, and the induced porosity reached upon latex removal. Overall, we found out that all the parameters described above and involved within the as-synthesized fibers' mechanical and sensing properties are acting within a partitive action mode rather than a cooperative one.