LAUSR

Abstract A novel Poly-1-napthylamine-titanium(IV)sulphosalicylophosphate (PNA-TSP) cation exchange nanocomposite was synthesized by in-situ chemical oxidative polymerization of 1-naphthylamine in the presence of titanium(IV)sulphosalicylophosphate (TSP) nanoparticles. PNA-TSP doped with silver nanoparticles was synthesized by chemical reduction method. Synthesis of PNA-TSP and Ag/PNA-TSP was confirmed by FTIR, FE-SEM, XRD, TGA and EDX characterization techniques. Nanocomposite showed good ion-exchange capacity (IEC) (2.20 meq g−1) and enhanced DC electrical conductivity from 0.163 S/cm (PNA-TSP) to 0.7112 S/cm (Ag/PNA-TSP). Ag/PNA-TSP nanocomposite based sensor was fabricated for the detection of tetrahydrofuran vapours over the concentration range from 0.1 M (vapour concentration 2.90%) to 0.7 M (vapour concentration 4.24%) tetrahydrofuran solution.