A room temperature TiO2@Ti3C2TX/PANI sensor for real-time monitoring of ammonia emissions in agricultural fertilization

In-situ TiO 2 @Ti 3 C 2 T x /PANI composite for NH 3 sensing. • High response of 319% toward 50 ppm NH 3 achieved. • Detection range expanded to 0.3–1000 ppm. • Stable performance under 40–90% RH and mechanical bending. • Enables real-time NH 3 monitoring for fertilizer management. The utilization rate of nitrogen fertilizer and the determination of its effective period depend heavily on the dynamics of ammonia(NH 3 ) volatilization. Therefore, monitoring NH 3 emissions during fertilization is important for understanding nitrogen loss behavior in agricultural systems. However, developing sensors that maintain high response and stability in complex field environments remains a challenge. To address this, leveraging the high conductivity and abundant surface functional groups of Ti 3 C 2 T x to enhance gas adsorption and carrier transport, a flexible room-temperature NH 3 sensor based on TiO 2 @Ti 3 C 2 T x /PANI(TTP-20) composite was constructed. Attributed to the synergistic Schottky junction formed at the interface and the optimized mesoporous structure, the sensor exhibits a high response of 319% to 50 ppm NH 3 and lowest tested concentration of 0.3 ppm. Crucially, the sensor demonstrates good immunity to humidity interference (RH = 40–90%), ensuring robust reliability in moist soil environments. It successfully identified NH 3 release patterns under simulated fertilization conditions, providing a promising approach for tracking NH 3 emission trends under simulated fertilization conditions and supporting the comparative evaluation of fertilization strategies. Download: Download high-res image (365KB) Download: Download full-size image