Study of transport characteristics using impedance spectroscopy and memristor property analysis of protonated polyaniline-WO3

Abstract

Polyaniline-WO3 nanocomposite was synthesized through in-situ chemical polymerization. The structural properties are studied by using XRD and FESEM characterization. The XRD results confirmed the presence of crystalline WO3 nanoparticles in the polymer nanocomposite structure. FESEM images confirmed the sheet-like structure with heterojunction of WO3 nanoparticles and polyaniline matrix. The transport properties of the synthesized nanocomposites are studied using impedance spectroscopy analysis. The complex impedance analysis conducted using the Nyquist plot and equivalent circuit model of the nanocomposites are simulated using ZSimpWin software. The major conduction mechanism in the material is found to be grain boundary effect and the grain boundary conduction parameters are calculated. The polyaniline-WO3 nanocomposite with WO3 doping concentration of 15% has exhibited better sensing characteristics towards the target VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) 3-Carene, a breath-based biomarker for malaria. The memristor sensor model of the polyaniline nanocomposite with 15% of WO3 is simulated using MATLAB-Simulink. The pinched hysteresis loop obtained confirmed the memristor properties of the material.