Cuprous Oxide Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization, and Their Application for Enhancing the Humidity-Sensing Properties of Poly(dioctylfluorene)

In this paper, we report on the synthesis—via the wet chemical precipitation route method—and thin film characteristics of inorganic semiconductor, cuprous oxide (Cu(2)O) nanoparticles, for their potential application in enhancing the humidity-sensing properties of semiconducting polymer poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) (F8). For morphological analysis of the synthesized Cu(2)O nanoparticles, transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs are studied to investigate the texture, distribution, shape, and sizes of Cu(2)O crystallites. The TEM image of the Cu(2)O nanoparticles exhibits somewhat non-uniform distribution with almost uniform shape and size having an average particle size of ≈24 ± 2 nm. Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra are studied to validate the formation of Cu(2)O nanoparticles. Additionally, atomic force microscopy (AFM) is performed to analyze the surface morphology of polymer-inorganic (F8-Cu(2)O) nanocomposites thin film to see the grain sizes, mosaics, and average surface roughness. In order to study the enhancement in sensing properties of F8, a hybrid organic–inorganic (F8-Cu(2)O) surface-type humidity sensor Ag/F8-Cu(2)O/Ag is fabricated by employing F8 polymer as an active matrix layer and Cu(2)O nanoparticles as a dopant. The Ag/F8-Cu(2)O/Ag device is prepared by spin coating a 10:1 wt% solution of F8-Cu(2)O nanocomposite on pre-patterned silver (Ag) electrodes on glass. The inter-electrode gap (≈5 μm) between Ag is developed by photolithography. To study humidity sensing, the Ag/F8-Cu(2)O/Ag device is characterized by measuring its capacitance (C) as a function of relative humidity (%RH) at two different frequencies (120 Hz and 1 kHz). The device exhibits a broad humidity sensing range (27–86%RH) with shorter response time and recovery time, i.e., 9 s and 8 s, respectively. The present results show significant enhancement in the humidity-sensing properties as compared to our previously reported results of Ag/F8/Ag sensor wherein the humidity sensing range was 45–78%RH with 15 s and 7 s response and recovery times, respectively. The improvement in the humidity-sensing properties is attributed to the potential use of Cu(2)O nanoparticles, which change the hydrophobicity, surface to volume ratio of Cu(2)O nanoparticles, as well as modification in electron polarizability and polarity of the F8 matrix layer.