Highly sensitive OFET-based gas sensors using fluorinated naphthalenediimide semiconductor films

Naphthalene diimide bearing fluorinated alkyl side chains (FNDI) was synthesized and characterized by NMR spectroscopy. FNDI demonstrated good semiconductor characteristics and was used to fabricate gas sensors based on organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). The designed sensor devices exhibited fast response to low concentrations (1 ppm and less) of ammonia and some aliphatic amines. The revealed high sensitivity of the sensors in combination with the group-selectivity (with respect to amines) and good operational stability makes promising their practical application for food (e.g. fish) quality control or for medical diagnostics.