Publications

This paper presents the development of a sensor to detect the oxidative and radiation induced degradation of polypropylene. Recently we have examined the use of crosslinked assemblies of nanoparticles as a chemiresistor-type sensor for the degradation products. We have developed a simple method that uses a siloxane matrix to fabricate a chemiresistor-type sensor that minimizes the swelling transduction mechanism while optimizing the change in dielectric response. These sensors were exposed with the use of a gas chromatography system to three previously identified polypropylene degradation products including 4-methyl-2-pentanone, acetone, and 2-pentanone. The limits of detection 210 ppb for 4-methy-2-pentanone, 575 ppb for 2-pentanone, and the LoD was unable to be determined for acetone due to incomplete separation from the carbon disulfide carrier.

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The magnetically excited flexural plate wave (mag-FPW) device has great promise as a versatile sensor platform. FPW's can have better sensitivity at lower operating frequencies than surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices. Lower operating frequency (< 1 MHz for the FPW versus several hundred MHz to a few GHz for the SAW device) simplifies the control electronics and makes integration of sensor with electronics easier. Magnetic rather than piezoelectric excitation of the FPW greatly simplifies the device structure and processing by eliminating the need for piezoelectric thin films, also simplifying integration issues. The versatile mag-FPW resonator structure can potentially be configured to fulfill a number of critical functions in an autonomous sensored system. As a physical sensor, the device can be extremely sensitive to temperature, fluid flow, strain, acceleration and vibration. By coating the membrane with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), or polymer films with selective absorption properties (originally developed for SAW sensors), the mass sensitivity of the FPW allows it to be used as biological or chemical sensors. Yet another critical need in autonomous sensor systems is the ability to pump fluid. FPW structures can be configured as micro-pumps. This report describes work done to develop mag-FPW devices as physical, chemical, and acoustic sensors, and as micro-pumps for both liquid and gas-phase analytes to enable new integrated sensing platform.