Understanding the Effect of Deposition Technique on the Structure–Property Relationship of Polyaniline Thin Films Applied in Potentiometric pH Sensor

Abstract

The comprehension of potentiometric pH sensors with polymeric thin films for new and advanced applications is a constant technological need. The present study aimed to explore the relationship between the sensitivity and correlation coefficient of potentiometric pH sensors and the structure–property relationship of polyaniline thin films. The effect of the deposition method on the sample’s properties was evaluated. Galvanostatically electrodeposited and spin-coated polyaniline thin films were used as the sensing stage. Samples were electrodeposited with a current density of 0.5 mA/cm2 for 300, 600, and 1200 s and were spin coated for 60 s with an angular velocity of 500, 1000, and 2000 rpm. The electrodeposited set of films presented higher average sensitivity, 73.4 ± 1.3 mV/pH, compared to the spin-coated set, 59.2 ± 2.5 mV/pH. The electrodeposited films presented higher sensitivity due to their morphology, characterized by a larger roughness and thickness compared to spin-coated ones, favoring the potentiometric response. Also, their oxidation state, evaluated with cyclic voltammetry and UV-VIS spectroscopy, corroborates their sensing performance. The understanding of the structure–property relationship of the polymeric films affecting the pH detection is discussed based on the characteristics of the deposition method used.