Benzene vapor detection using spun poly(methyl methacrylate) thin films

A series of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymers of different molecular weights were synthesized using the Emulsifier-Free Emulsion polymerisation method. Using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) measurements the film surface is found to be heterogeneous surface with a RMS surface roughness value of approximately 2.5 nm. The refractive index of the PMMA films was estimated between 1.527 and 1.565 using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) method. Furthermore, film thickness is found to depend on the PMMA molecular weight. Thin films of PMMA are found to exhibit a fast and reversible response on exposure to benzene vapor; this would probably suggest that PMMA in thin film form could have a significant role in the development of room temperature vapor sensing devices.