Polyaniline–graphene oxide nanocomposite microelectromechanical sensor for stink bugs pheromone detection

• Published in: Sensors and actuators. B, Chemical Chemical, 2020-02, Vol.305, p.127426, Article 127426
• Main Authors: Brezolin, Alexandra Nava, Martinazzo, Janine, Steffens, Juliana, Steffens, Clarice
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural management; Cantilever; Euschistus heros; Graphene; Nanocomposites; Pheromones; Polyanilines; Semiochemicals; Sensors; Volatiles
• ISSN: 0925-4005; 1873-3077
• DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2019.127426

•New sensor to detect and monitor sexual pheromone of brown bug.•High sensitivity, selectivity, stability, fast response time and limit detection in fg/mL.•PANI/GO with uniform structure without any defects and with small particles. A novel polyaniline–graphene oxide nanocomposite microelectromechanical (PANI/GO/MEM) sensor was developed and applied in the detection of the synthetic pheromone of E. heros. The sensitive layer was characterized and demonstrates uniform structure with nanometric height and smooth surface. The PANI/GO/MEM sensor exhibits a linear response at concentration range 0.005 to 0.03 μg/mL, with sensitivity of 6.24 Hz/fg, detection limit of 0.91 fg/mL, quantification limit of 1.54 fg/mL, and hysteresis of 0.02 %. The PANI/GO/MEM sensor shows excellent performance and reproducibility in the exposition to volatile molecules of pheromone, with 1.1 % relative standard deviation (RSD). In this way, the results demonstrate the promising candidature of the designed PANI/GO/MEM sensor for detecting these semiochemicals, released in small quantities by the brown stink bug in the agriculture, can be a strategy for pest management.