Polypyrrole thin film fiber optic chemical sensor for detection of VOCs

A fiber optic reflectance sensor (FORS) using Polypyrrole (PPy) conducting polymer to detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is demonstrated. The conventional interfacial polymerization method is used to synthesize a sensitive polypyrrole membrane, which shows relatively low roughness and high reflectivity. In general the changes in electrical properties of conductive polymers are explored in sensing applications, however their optical properties have been less explored. In the present study, we evaluate the optical properties of PPy and transfer on the end face of polymer optical fiber (POF) for the detection of VOCs. The change in the reflected optical signal from PPy upon interaction with the VOCs is systematically evaluated. The fabricated PPy FORS shows the excellent sensitivity to the VOCs under test with the detection limit up to 1 ppm.     

Sensing properties of organised films based on a bithiophene derivative

Highly reproducible optic and electrochemical sensors have been developed using organised films from a polar bithiophene derivative, the 5-(dimethylamino)-5′-nitro-2,2′-bithiophene (Me₂N–T₂–NO₂). The strength of the molecular dipole moment of this push–pull end-capped bithiophene has permitted to obtain highly ordered, homogeneous and reproducible films by using both the Langmuir–Blodgett and the casting techniques. The organisation of the molecules in LB films and cast films has been established by means of UV–vis, infrared and Raman spectroscopy and by AFM.Me₂N–T₂–NO₂ thin films possess appealing optical and electrochemical sensing capabilities. UV–vis spectra can be modified in the presence of a variety of volatile organic compounds and the sensitivity is related to the polarity of the gas analysed. Films can also be used as electrochemical sensors because the characteristics of the current/potential curves are sensitive to the nature of the electrolytic solution. The spectral changes accompanying the applied voltage could be used to produce ionochromic sensor electrodes.The structure of the films has an important impact in the sensing properties of the films and in their stability. The optical and electrochemical sensing properties of Langmuir–Blodgett films are more reproducible than those observed in cast films. This makes films prepared using the LB technique to be preferred as sensing devices. However the casting technique provides a fast method to obtain cheap and highly ordered sensors.     

Optimization of single mode fibre sensors to detect organic vapours

The construction of single mode optical fibre (SMF) sensors to handle with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), has been optimized to operate at the third telecommunication window (1550 nm). The main motivation is to take advantage of the photonic devices used in telecommunication systems that makes easier sensors multiplexing. Moreover, the low transmission attenuation at that wavelength offers the possibility of remote sensing. The sensing materials used suffer reversible structural alterations in the presence of VOC, such as colour change, which are detectable with a photonic system. Following the Electrostatic Self Assembly method (ESAm), a nanostructure is constructed onto cleaved ended SMF, which is doped with a sensing material. The fabrication of this type of sensors was focused on multimode fibres (MMF) and in the visible spectral range (VIS) so far. The implementation has been adapted to SMF and to operate around 1550 nm, specifically, by easing the adsorption of the VOCs molecules. It has been observed that the sensing material affects the morphology of the nanostructures as well and so, to the sensors response. The devices implemented show a potential use in the identification of single and complex mixtures of VOCs.     

A novel multisensing optical approach based on a single phthalocyanine thin films to monitoring volatile organic compounds

This paper reports the use of optical trasduction techniques to characterise solid state chemo-optical sensors prepared by Langmuir–Schäfer technique (LS) in thin film form based onto Cu(II) tris-(2,4-di-t-amylphenoxy)-(12-hydroxy-1,4,7,10-tetraoxadodecyl)-phthalocyanine macromolecules CuPcOH as active layers. The study consists in the UV–vis optical absorption monitoring of the active LS layers in the presence of specific five volatile organic compounds (VOCs) mixed in dry air in controlled atmosphere; in particular tert-butylamine, methanol, ethanol, hexane and ethyl acetate, all analytes of interests in the food quality control. The UV–vis spectra have been monitored by recording the dynamic variation in the integral of the absorbance curves in well defined spectral regions: 300–400 nm, 550–600 nm, 600–640 nm, 640–700 nm, covering the whole spectrum and centred around the typical absorption bands of phthalocyanine thin films. This simultaneous UV–vis four channel monitoring allowed to use only one active layer as sensing element where each selected spectral region generates independent sensors. The dependency of the above mentioned outputs towards the analytes has been discussed. A base optical characterisation of the investigated LS thin films has been performed.     

卟啉和金属卟啉配合物的合成及其在传感器中的应用

气敏材料是气体（化学）传感器的核心部位,直接影响传感器的稳定性、选择性、灵敏度和响应时间等各种性能。卟啉与金属卟啉配合物具有优良的气敏性能,目前国内外卟啉与金属卟啉传感器已应用于VOCs的检测。该文介绍了卟啉及其结构、合成方法、卟啉和金属卟啉配合物的合成及影响因素;卟啉和金属卟啉在传感器中的应用和对挥发性有机气体的检测原理。     

基于MWCNTs的气敏测试纸

介绍了一种简单、可直接在纸上制作的气体传感测试纸.由多壁碳纳米管(MWCNTs)在纸上摩擦,粘附的MWCNTs即为传感器的敏感层.采用相同方法分别在不同的纸张上制作传感器,并对气敏性能进行了比较,结果表明:滤纸的多孔性和粗糙的表面,可以促使其上的敏感层吸附和释放气体分子,使气体传感器在室温条件下完全恢复.传感器具有良好的重复性和稳定性.气体传感测试纸可以进一步用于挥发性有机气体(VOCs)的检测开发.     

纳米WO_3薄膜的光学性质及氢敏特性研究

采用磁控直流溅射法制备出纳米WO3薄膜,在N2气中进行退火处理。采用分光光度计、XRD等对退火前后的WO3薄膜进行了光学特性的分析。研究表明:在623 K进行退火处理的薄膜均匀、致密,呈现出较好的结晶态。采用光源激发对纯WO3薄膜在不同温度条件下的氢敏特性进行了研究,实验显示:WO3薄膜对H2的敏感性与温度有关,在348 K温度条件下,WO3薄膜的氢敏效应最好。     

卟啉传感器检测挥发性有机化合物的研究进展

卟啉与金属卟啉具有优良的气敏性能,是检测挥发性有机化合物(VOCs)的理想敏感材料。卟啉与金属卟啉传感器已成功地应用于VOCs的检测。基于不同类型传感器的传感原理,对目前国内外用于VOCs检测的几类卟啉传感器的研究进展进行了分类介绍,并对卟啉传感器在VOCs检测领域的研究方向和发展前景做了展望。     

Capacitive sensing of amino acids in molecularly imprinted nylon films

Molecularly imprinted polymers are important for a variety of sensing applications. We have developed capacitive elements incorporating thin nylon films prepared by spin-casting and imprinted with amino acids, and report on their frequency dependent dielectric characteristics over the range 100 Hz to 10 MHz. We find significant shifts (one decade) in the dissipation factor peaks of these samples upon removal and reinsertion of the amino acids used in their preparation. Control films remained unchanged, and other amino acids showed little binding. The use of the nylon polymer allows imprinting without the need for cross-linking agents. These structures have been used to make sensors for glutamine and alanine; the glutamine sensor shows greater specificity.     

Development and evaluation of piezoelectric-polymer thin film sensors for low concentration detection of volatile organic compounds related to food safety applications

In this study, the regioregular poly (3-hexyl thiophene) (rr-P3HT) based piezoelectric sensors were developed and evaluated to detect alcoholic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with spoiled and Salmonella typhimurium contaminated packaged beef headspace. The drop coating technique was used to deposit thin films of rr-P3HT on both the sides of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) electrode. The QCM polymer sensors were found to provide repeatable and reproducible sensor response to alcohol VOCs with a fast recovery (<2 min) at room temperature (25 °C). The principal component analysis on the sensors sensitivities was performed to discriminate the sensed alcohol VOCs, namely: 3-methyl-1-butanol from 1-hexanol. The QCM polymer sensors demonstrated selective response to low concentration of 3-methyl-1-butanol (average estimated lowest detection limit (LDL): 4.35 ppm) and to 1-hexanol (average estimated LDL: 3.20 ppm). The 30 days storage study performed on QCM sensors showed identical sensitivity responses for sensing 3-methyl-1-butanol and 1-hexanol at low concentrations.     

Vic-dioximes: A new class of sensitive materials for chemical gas sensing

Vic-dioximes, a class of organic chemical compounds, are proposed and characterized for the first time as sensitive materials for volatile organic compound sensing with sorption based chemical gas sensors. Their peculiar sensing properties described in this work originate in the oxime functional group which is a powerful H bond donor interacting strongly but reversibly with H bond acceptors. These specific interactions result in a high preferential enrichment of analyte molecules with H bonding acceptor capabilities in the sensitive material. Accordingly, sensitivity and selectivity for these compounds of vic-dioxime based sensors are high. The advantageous sensing properties are demonstrated in this work with quartz crystal microbalance sensors using 11 selected volatile organic compounds and a set of vic-dioximes varied in their substituents. Vic-dioximes with short alkylthiol substituents were found highly sensitive to such H bond acceptors as organic amines, alcohols, and esters with partition coefficients up to 26,000. At the same time they showed low affinity for aromatic compounds and chlorocarbons. Vic-dioximes are considered powerful sensing materials and interesting for practical use in chemical gas sensor arrays.     

The influence of the surface morphologies of Langmuir Blodgett (LB) thin films of porphyrins on their gas sensing properties

In this work, 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-Octaethyl-21H,23H-porphine (OEP) in its free base form and metalated with iron (III) chloride (FeOEP), magnesium(II) (MgOEP) and cobalt(II) (CoOEP) have been used to fabricate Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) thin films. Using the surface pressure-surface area (Π-A) isotherm graphs optimum conditions for thin film deposition have been determined and by changing the deposition parameters various thin films have been deposited. Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) system was used to investigate their gas sensing performances during exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) including chloroform, benzene and toluene. The surface properties have been investigated using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and analyzed together with the QCM results to understand the effect of the surface properties on gas sensing mechanism. It is observed that larger surface area leads to higher response in gas sensing applications in terms of resonance frequency change.     

Effect of trace residual ionic impurities on the response of chemiresistor sensors with dithiol-linked monolayer-protected gold (nano)clusters as sensing interfaces

Column liquid–solid chromatography was used to remove residual impurities of isolated n-octanethiol (C₈H₁₇SH) monolayer-protected gold nano-clusters (MPCs) which were synthesized by a Brust two-phase method. Three-dimensional (3D) cross-linked MPC films were prepared directly on interdigitated electrodes to form chemiresistor sensors through the exchange reactions of the chromatographically purified MPCs with 1,6-hexanedithiol (HDT) or 1,4-benzenedimethanethiol (BDT). Ionic current induced by trace residual ionic impurities in MPCs was qualitatively detected by comparing the resistance responses of the sensors interfaced with the chromatographically purified and unpurified MPC films by employing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and water vapor as probes, respectively. The existence of the ionic current significantly decreases the sensor sensitivities to VOCs. As for water vapor with high permittivity, the ionic current totally distorted the resistance responses from positive to negative with increasing humidity. Capacitance was also measured to characterize the permittivity change. The effect of ionic current on capacitance was not obvious. The humidity effects on the sensor responses to VOCs were also investigated. Fewer effects were observed on the higher hydrophobic compounds. A ternary sensor array was constructed with C₈Au MPCs, HDT and BDT cross-linked MPC films as sensing interfaces. The response pattern showed that the sensor array could discriminate VOCs with different functional groups. The as-prepared sensor showed the same sensitivities as the acoustic wave sensors.     

A review of satellite and airborne sensors for remote sensing based detection of minefields and landmines

This paper focuses on the use of space and airborne sensors that can be applied to detect landmines and minefields. First the landmine and minefield problem is addressed and examples of the use of remote sensing images are presented that could provide valuable information for the mine action process and assist in conventional minefield and landmine detection methods. This is followed by an overview on relevant (declassified) aspects related to strategic overhead detection techniques developed by the military/intelligence community as well as those of civilian space and airborne remote sensing programmes. The airborne sensing techniques describe the state of the art of sensors such as optical (film, multi- and hyperspectral sensors), thermal infrared as well as microwave sensors and their suitability--limitations for remote sensing based minefield and landmine detection purposes.     

基于微气体传感器阵列和神经网络的VOCs的辨别

六个由贵金属Au,Cu,Pt做添加剂的SnO2气体传感器构成了微气体传感器阵列.首先研究了这六只传感器对挥发性有机化合物(VOCs)敏感特性,本文中的VOCs 指VOCsmixture和甲醛(HCHO)气体,其中VOCsmixture是10 ppm甲苯、1 ppm丙酮、5 ppm α-派烯和10 ppm乙醇的混合气.然后采用BP神经网络对所获得的传感器信号进行了分析、识别.结果显示微气体传感器阵列与BP神经网络相结合不仅能有效地识别低浓度的单成分VOCsmixture和甲醛气体,而且也能有效地识别两元气体中的VOCsmixture和甲醛气体.     

Influence of pH on particle size and sensing response of chemically synthesized chromium oxide nanoparticles to alcohols

Nanoparticles of chromium oxide have been synthesized by following a co-precipitation route at various pH values of the precursor solution. Structural and morphological analysis were carried out by using XRD and TEM techniques which revealed that the size of nanoparticles synthesized at pH 9 was smaller as compared to those synthesized at other pH values. The thick films of synthesized samples were deposited on alumina substrate and their sensing response to methanol, ethanol and isopropanol was investigated at different operating temperatures. It was observed that all the sensors gave optimum response at 250 °C. It has been observed that sample prepared at pH 9, being a collection of smallest particles as compared to other samples, exhibited high sensing response to alcohol vapour. Sensor response of all the samples tested was significantly higher towards isopropanol vapour than towards methanol or ethanol.In the present study the effect of particle size on intergranular activation energy has been studied as well. It was found that smaller particles possess high activation energy and exhibit higher sensing response as compared to that of larger particles. This type of study may help in the selection of particle suitable for gas sensing.     

Hybrid polymer/cobalt chloride humidity sensors based on optical diffraction

Relative humidity (RH) photonic sensors based on hybrid polymer/inorganic materials operating by means of optical diffraction are presented. The sensing film elements are fabricated by casting or spin coating the polymeric/inorganic solution on grating structures and planar glass substrates. The base polymers were synthesized by high vacuum anionic and free radical polymerization techniques and are incorporating cobalt chloride nano- or micro-crystals at various concentrations. The sensors exhibit fast response, reversible behaviour and long-term stability together with a good sensitivity and a relatively large dynamic range. Functional characteristics and, in particular, the operational range can be tuned by sensor material composition.     

SnO2超微粒子薄膜的气敏特性研究

作者用自行设计的直流气体放电活化反应蒸发装置制备出平均粒径约为40nm的SnO_2超微粒子薄膜.研究了不同氧分压下所得SnO_2超微粒膜的形貌、结构和组成等特性,以及不同样品对各种易燃气体的气敏特性,得出了灵敏度随氧分压及灵敏度随工作温度的变化曲线.     

被动微波遥感反演土壤水分进展研究

在地球系统中, 地表土壤水分是陆地和大气能量交换过程中的重要因子, 并对陆地表面蒸散、水的运移、碳循环有很强的控制作用, 大面积监测土壤水分在水文、气象和农业科学领域具有较大的应用潜力。被动微波遥感是监测土壤含水量最有效的手段之一, 相比红外与可见光, 它具有波长长, 穿透能力强的优势, 相比主动微波雷达, 被动微波辐射计具有监测面积大、周期短, 受粗糙度影响小, 对土壤水分更为敏感, 算法更为成熟的优势。然而微波辐射计观测到的亮温除了受土壤水分影响外, 还要考虑如植被覆盖、土壤温度、雪覆盖以及地形、地表粗糙度、土壤纹理和大气效应以及地表的异质性等其它因子的影响。目前, 已研究出许多使用被动微波辐射计反演土壤水分的方法,这些方法大部分是围绕着土壤湿度与亮温温度之间的关系进行, 同时也考虑其它各种不同因子对 地表微波辐射的影响。从介绍被动微波反演地表参数的原理入手, 重点介绍被动遥感反演土壤水分当前的算法进展、研究趋势等。     

NiFe2O4纳米材料的气敏性能研究

以FeSO4·7H2O和NiCl2*6H2O为原料,通过新型化学共沉淀法制备了纳米尺寸的NiFe2O4粉体,利用XRD、TEM等手段研究了其结构特性.NiFe2O4是一种新型的P型半导体气敏材料.以NiFe2O4纳米粉体为原料制备了烧结型旁热式气敏元件,该元件对甲苯具有较高的灵敏度和好的选择性,并对气敏机理给予了解释.