Carbon black filled poly(butyl methacrylate) (CB/PBMA) composites as organic vapour sensors were fabricated by polymerization filling. The results indicate that the composites have a wide synthesis window, giving composite materials with high gas sensitivity under different conditions. In comparison with composites made by solution mixing, the composites made by polymerization filling have much higher responsivity to organic vapours because of the superior distribution of the filler particles. The addition of a third component, vapour-grown carbon fibres (VGCF), and the post-treatment of the composites by γ–ray irradiation proved to be rather effective in enhancing response stability.
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