Resistive Humidity Sensor Using Phosphonium Salt-Containing Polyelectrolytes Based on the Mutually Cross-linkable Copolymers

Two kinds of mutually cross-linkable copolymers were prepared to be used as humidity-sensing materials. The humidity-sensitive thin films consist of cross-linked polyelectrolytes of the following component: 4-vinylbenzyl dimethyl 2-(dimethylphosphino)ethyl phosphonium chloride (1)/ bis(2-methoxyethyl)itaconate (2)= 3/l, 2/l, 1/1 and 1/2 and 4-vinylbenzyl chloride (3)/ vinylbenzyl tributyl phosphonium chloride (4)= 3/l, 2/l, 1/1 and 1/2. The humidity sensor prepared from the reaction of 1/2= 2/l with 3/4= 2/l showed an average resistance of 723,36.2 and 2.42 ㏀ at 30, 60 and 90%RH, respectively. Temperature dependence, frequency dependence, and response time were measured and the reliability test such as water durability and long-term stability were also estimated.