Synthesis and characterization of nanostructured 1,3-bis(1-anthracenylazomethine)benzene films for room temperature NH3 gas-sensing applications

1,3-Bis(1-anthracenylazomethine)benzene (IP-1AAN) compound has been synthesized and its films have been fabricated by thermal evaporation technique on to the glass substrate under different experimental conditions. The films so prepared have been studied for their structural, optical, electrical and gas-sensing properties. The comparison of infrared (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of IP-1AAN powder and films made therefrom confirms the formation of IP-1AAN films. Scanning electron micrographs of the films indicate the formation of 45.83 nm wide nanofibers in case of film deposited at 27 °C. AFM investigations show that the RMS roughness values of films lie within a range of 1.3–13.7 nm. The current–voltage characteristics of the films show ohmic behaviour of conduction and thermal activation energy of charge carriers is found to lie in a range of 0.19–0.28 eV. Analysis of optical absorption measurements indicates that the direct interband transition energies lie in the range of 2.50–2.62 eV. The effect of substrate temperature on the gas-sensing characteristics of IP-1AAN films towards NH3 gas at room temperature has been evaluated.