A Molecularly Imprinted Fluoral-P/Polyaniline Double Layer Sensor System for Selective Sensing of Formaldehyde

We demonstrate the capacity of a double layer thin-film system, composed of polyaniline and fluoral-p, to sensitively detect and selectively bind formaldehyde vapor using an interdigitated electrode assembly. The sensor response scales with the concentration of formaldehyde vapor and does not respond significantly to other potentially interfering molecules. This heightened response and selectivity result from imprinting the polyaniline layer with a molecular memory for ammonia. The chemistry of the double layer detection is discussed in terms of the Hantzsch reaction and the p-type semiconducting activity of polyaniline.