Abstract Submitted to the NANOTUBE'02 Workshop:

Singlewalled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and conducting polymers have resistivity changes when exposed to various gases. Currently, there is a considerable interest in studying a new type of nanocomposite using carbon nanotubes and conducting polymers to improve the conductivity, electronic transport, and electromagnetic properties of organic conducting polymers. We have studied the nanocomposite of SWNTs and polypyrrole (Ppy) for the gas sensor with high sensitivity. The formation for nanocomposite of SWNTs and Ppy has been carried out using in-situ chemical polymerization of pyrrole monomer with SWNTs. The individual nanotube bundles are coated uniformly with Ppy, indicating that in-situ chemical polymerization of pyrrole is effectively achieved. Gas sensing ability has been investigated for pure Ppy, SWNTs, and nanocomposite of SWNTs and Ppy. The response of sensitivity and selectivity of various gases have been monitored using the d.c. electrical resistance.