Optical waveguide sensor of volatile organic compounds based on PTA thin film

In this study, a sensitive optical waveguide (OWG) sensor for the detection and identification of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was reported. The sensing membrane is constructed by immobilization of peroxopolytungsten acid (PTA) thin film over a single-mode potassium ion (K⁺) exchanged glass OWG by spin-coating method. A laser beam was coupled into and out of the glass optical waveguide using prism couplers, and dry air functioned as a carrier gas. The sensor was tested for various volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and it showed higher response to the chlorobenzene gas compared to other VOCs. Therefore, we used the OWG sensor to detect chlorobenzene gas as a typical example of VOCs. The sensor exhibits a linear response to chlorobenzene gas in the range of 0.4-1000 ppm with rapid response and good reversibility. The constructed sensor is easy to fabricate and it has some unique qualities which can be characterized as inexpensive, sensitive, and reusable.     

Cyclodextrin Polymer Films Optical Waveguide Sensor for Volatile Organic Gas Detection

A sensitive optical waveguide(OWG) sensor which can be used to detect volatile organic compounds(VOCs) was presented. The sensing device(element) was fabricated by means of the immobilization of polyvinyl pyrrolidone(PVP)-cyclodextrin(CD) composite film over a single-mode potassium ion exchanged glass OWG via spin-coating method. The sensor shows higher response to styrene gas than to other VOCs and displays a linear response to styrene gas in a range of 1-1000 μL/L.     

Evaluation of the performance of sensors based on optical imaging of a chemically sensitive layer

Interest in the use of the optical properties of chemical indicators is growing steadily. Among the optical methods that can be used to capture changes in sensing layers, those producing images of large-area devices are particularly interesting for chemical sensor array development. Until now, few studies addressed the characterization of image sensors from the point of view of their chemical sensor application. In this paper, a method to evaluate such performance is proposed. It is based on the simultaneous measurement of absorption events in a metalloporphyrin layer with an image sensor and a quartz microbalance (QMB). Exploiting the well-known behaviour of QMB, comparison of signals enables estimation of the minimum amount of absorbed molecules that the image sensor can detect. Results indicate that at the single pixel level a standard image sensor (for example a webcam) can easily detect femtomoles of absorbed molecules. It should therefore be possible to design sensor arrays in which the pixels of images of large-area sensing layers are regarded as individual chemical sensors providing a ready and simple method for large sensor array development.     

Colorimetric Artificial Nose for Identification of Breath Volatile Organic Compounds of Patients with Lung Cancer

A novel and highly sensitive colorimetric sensor array was developed for the detection and identification of breath volatile organic compounds（VOCs） of patients with lung cancer.Employing dimeric metalloporphyrins,metallosalphen complexes,and chemically responsive dyes as the sensing elements,the developed sensor array of artificial nose shows a unique pattern of colorific changes upon its exposure to eight less-reactive VOCs and their mixture gas at a concentration of 735 nmol/L within 3 min.Potential of quantitative analysis of VOCs samples was proved.A good linear relationship of 490-3675 nmol/L was obtained for benzene vapor with a detection limit of 49 nmol/L（S/N=3）.Data analysis was carried out by Hierarchical cluster analysis（HCA） and principal component analysis（PCA）.Each category of breath VOCs clusters together in the PCA score plot.No errors in classification by HCA were observed in 45 trials.Additionaly,the colorimetric sensor array showed good reproducibility under the cyclic sensing experiments.These results demonstrate that the developed colorimetric artificial nose system is an excellent sensing platform for the identification and quantitative analysis of breath VOCs of patients with lung cancer.     

Molecular simulation of liquid crystal sensor based on competitive inclusion effect

With the progressive understanding of liquid crystal materials that rely on the interface interactions, optical properties of liquid crystal are attracting attention as a detector for chemicals and biomolecules. In this work, a recently reported liquid crystal sensing system based on the competitive inclusion effect of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) was studied. Quantum mechanical calculations were applied to study different β-CD inclusion complexes of methyl blue (MB), 4-cyano-4′-pentyl biphenyl (5CB), sodium dodecyl sulfonate (SDS), dopamine (DA) and their inclusion processes. The work shows that DA cannot be an analyte for the liquid crystal sensor as it could not compete for the cavity of β-CD with SDS. However, MB molecule can push SDS out of the β-CD cavity so as to induce the change in optical appearance when MB forms a 1:2 inclusion complex. The simulated absorption spectrum is in agreement with experiment results, implying that MB molecule may exist in both 1:1 and 1:2 inclusion complexes in the system of liquid crystal sensor.     

Properties of biodegradable poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) composites with carbon black

Biodegradable poly(butylene succinate)/carbon black (PBS/CB) nanocomposite was prepared by melt compounding and the amount of CB loading was 3 wt %. The PBS/CB nanocomposite exhibited not only a good dispersion of aggregates of CB in the PBS matrix, but also an improvement in mechanical and electrical properties as well. The nonisothermal crystallization behavior and crystal structure of neat PBS and its nanocomposite were also studied by differential scanning calorimetry and wide angle X-ray diffraction in detail. The crystal morphology is observed by polarized optical microscopy. The Avrami equation and the Mo equation were employed to describe the nonisothermal crystallization kinetics. The Mo equation was found to be more suitable to predict the whole nonisothermal crystallization process for both neat PBS and its nanocomposite. It was concluded that the addition of CB retarded the crystallization rate compared with that of neat PBS at the same cooling rate, which can be attributed to restricting effect of CB on the segmental motions of the polymer chains. Moreover, the incorporation of the CB particles does not modify the crystal structure of PBS.     

Optical molecular sensing with semiconductor quantum dots (QDs)

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) exhibit unique optical and photophysical properties. These features are implemented to develop optical molecular sensor systems. The review addresses the methods to functionalize the QDs with chemical capping layers that enable the use of the resulting hybrid structures for sensing, and discusses the photophysical mechanisms being applied in the different sensor systems. Different methods to design the chemically-modified QDs hybrid structures for sensing low-molecular-weight substrates, metal ions, anions and gases are presented. These include the functionalization of the QDs with ligands that bind ions, the modification of the QDs with substrate-specific ligands or receptor units, and the chemical modification of the QDs upon sensing. Specific emphasis is directed to describe the cooperative catalytic functions of the QDs in the sensing processes, and to address the function of sensing with logic-gate operations.     

Stripping Analysis of As(III) by Means of Screen‐Printed Electrodes Modified with Gold Nanoparticles and Carbon Black Nanocomposite

A novel sensor based on carbon black‐gold nanoparticle nanocomposite modified screen‐printed electrode (CB‐AuNPs/SPE) for the detection of As(III) has been developed. The sensor was prepared modifying the SPE with CB and AuNPs by a drop casting automatable deposition. The As(III) was detected by CB‐AuNPs/SPE using anodic stripping voltammetry, with a high sensitivity (673±6 µA µM^?1 cm^?2) and reaching a LOD of 0.4 ppb. Finally, CB‐AuNPs/SPE has been applied to As(III) trace analysis in drinking water, obtaining satisfactory recovery values (99±9 %).     

Aging properties of styrene-butadiene rubber nanocomposites filled with carbon black and rectorite

To better understand the effect of rectorite and carbon black (CB) on the aging performance of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), SBR/CB, SBR/CB/rectorite and SBR/rectorite nanocomposites with the same total filler loading were prepared. The microstructure of the three SBR nanocomposites was characterized by XRD, TEM and SEM. After thermal aging, oxygen-containing molecules were found to be formed in the SBR nanocomposites, as verified by FTIR analysis. The SBR/rectorite nanocomposite showed the highest aging coefficient and the lowest change rate of tensile strength and stress at 100% strain among the three SBR nanocomposites, indicating that the introduction of nano-dispersed rectorite layers can enhance the thermal aging resistance of the nanocomposites. For the SBR/CB/rectorite nanocomposite, the addition of CB helped to improve the interfacial compatibility between the filler and matrix, resulting in the best crack resistance as the aged SBR/CB/rectorite nanocomposite always demonstrated the least cracks on the surface during either stretching or bending experiments.     

Development and Application of Liquid Crystals as Stimuli-Responsive Sensors

This focused review presents various approaches or formats in which liquid crystals (LCs) have been used as stimuli-responsive sensors. In these sensors, the LC molecules adopt some well-defined arrangement based on the sensor composition and the chemistry of the system. The sensor usually consists of a molecule or functionality in the system that engages in some form of specific interaction with the analyte of interest. The presence of analyte brings about the specific interaction, which then triggers an orientational transition of the LC molecules, which is optically discernible via a polarized optical image that shows up as dark or bright, depending on the orientation of the LC molecules in the system (usually a homeotropic or planar arrangement). The various applications of LCs as biosensors for glucose, protein and peptide detection, biomarkers, drug molecules and metabolites are extensively reviewed. The review also presents applications of LC-based sensors in the detection of heavy metals, anionic species, gases, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), toxic substances and in pH monitoring. Additionally discussed are the various ways in which LCs have been used in the field of material science. Specific attention has been given to the sensing mechanism of each sensor and it is important to note that in all cases, LC-based sensing involves some form of orientational transition of the LC molecules in the presence of a given analyte. Finally, the review concludes by giving future perspectives on LC-based sensors.     

Filter-free integrated sensor array based on luminescence and absorbance measurements using ring-shaped organic photodiodes

An optical waveguiding sensor array featuring monolithically integrated organic photodiodes as integrated photo-detector, which simplifies the readout system by minimizing the required parts, is presented. The necessity of any optical filters becomes redundant due to the proposed platform geometry, which discriminates between excitation light and sensing signal. The sensor array is capable of measuring luminescence or absorption, and both sensing geometries are based on the identical substrate. It is demonstrated that background light is virtually non-existent. All sensing and waveguide layers, as well as in- and out-coupling elements are assembled by conventional screen-printing techniques. Organic photodiodes are integrated by layer-by-layer vacuum deposition onto glass or common polymer foils. The universal and simple applicability of this sensor chip is demonstrated by sensing schemes for four different analytes. Relative humidity, oxygen, and carbon dioxide are measured in gas phase using luminescence-based sensor schemes; the latter two analytes are also measured by absorbance-based sensor schemes. Furthermore, oxygen and pH in aqueous media were enabled. The consistency of calibration characteristics extending over different sensor chips is verified.

Selective and direct detection of free amino acid using the optical birefringent patterns of confined nematic liquid crystals

Detection of amino acid (AA) is an essential step to understand various biological processes. In this study, we used innovative optical birefringent patterns of nematic liquid crystals (LCs) for the detection of several AAs. We attempted to use capillary-confined nematic LCs as sensor for AA analysis because their three-dimensional micro-scale architecture of LCs allowed better performance than that of mainly reported LC thin film sensors owing to the effect on the formation and dynamics of point defect. The sensing system was built by disrupting the alignment of a nematic LC, 4-cyano-4′-pentylbiphenyl (5CB), using the dopant of dodecyl aldehyde. Detection principle is based on the chemical analytical method of aldehyde titration for AAs, wherein the reaction between AAs and aldehyde group generates Schiff bases that could alter the configuration of nematic LCs at the aqueous/LC interface. The patterns generated in the reaction are captured by polarising optical microscopy (POM) and are visible to the naked eye. The functionalised LCs detected glycine at concentrations as low as 1 pM. There was a surprising result that it can selectively detect D-AAs against their L-isomers, however, further efforts are required to explain the mechanism.     

Optimizing integrated optical chips for label-free (bio-)chemical sensing

Label-free sensing is an important method for many (bio-)chemical applications in fields such as biotechnology, medicine, pharma, ecology and food quality control. The broad range of applications includes liquid refractive index sensing, molecule detection, and the detection of particles or cells. Integrated optics based on the use of waveguide modes offers a great potential and flexibility to tailor the sensor properties to these applications. In this paper, the results of a numerical study are presented, showing that this flexibility is founded on the many degrees of freedom that can be used for the integrated optical chip design, in contrast to other technologies such as those based on surface plasmon resonance, for which the materials' properties limit the range of choices. The applications that are explicitly considered and discussed include (1) bulk refractometry, (2) thin-layer sensing, for example biosensors monitoring molecular adsorption processes occurring within some 10 nm of the chip's surface, (3) thick-layer sensing with processes involving molecules or ions to be monitored within a sensing matrix extending to some 100 nm from the chip's surface, for example hydrogel-based layers and chemo-optically sensitive membranes, and (4) particle sensing with particles or, for example, biological cells to be monitored within probe volumes extending to some 1,000 nm from the chip's surface. The peculiarities for the different types of applications will be discussed, and suitable modeling methods presented. Finally, the application-specific design guidelines supplied will enable the optimization of various types of integrated optical sensors, including interferometers and grating-based sensors.     

Organic vapor sensing properties of copolymer Langmuir-Blodgett thin film sensors

In this study, a novel poly[Styrene (ST)-co-Glycidyl Methacrylate (GMA)] copolymer material is used to fabricate Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) thin films and investigate organic vapor sensing properties. Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) system is used to investigate gas sensing performance of copolymer LB films during exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). The poly[Styrene (ST)-co-Glycidyl Methacrylate (GMA)] LB thin film sensor sensitivities are determined to be between 0.12 and 0.25 Hz ppm^?1. Detection limits of the copolymer LB thin film are found to be between 23 and 49 ppm against organic vapors. The copolymer LB thin films are more sensitive to chloroform than other vapors used in this study. The results demonstrated that the poly[Styrene (ST)-co-Glycidyl Methacrylate (GMA)] copolymer material is promising as a organic vapor sensing device at room temperature.     

Electrochemical Detection of Persulfate at the Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode with Nanocomposite Containing Nano‐Ruthenium Oxide/Thionine and Nano‐Ruthenium Oxide/Celestine Blue

The present study describes the fabrication of a sensitive amperometric sensor for the determination of persulfate. The immobilization surface was prepared by modifying a glassy carbon (GC) electrode with a nanocomposite containing ruthenium oxide (RuOx) nanoparticles and thionine (TH) or celestin blue (CB). The modified electrodes indicated excellent electrocatalytic activity toward persulfate reduction at a potential of +0.1 V. The proposed sensor showed detection limits of 1.46 µM for the GC/RuOx/TH modified electrode and 2.64 µM for the GC/RuOx/CB modified electrode. The sensitivities were obtained as 3 nA µM^?1 at a concentration range of 10 µM to 11 mM for the GC/RuOx/TH modified electrode and 1 nA µM^?1 at a concentration range of 10 µM to 6 mM for the GC/RuOx/CB modified electrodes.     

氧化锌薄膜/锡掺杂玻璃光波导元件及其对氯苯的气敏性研究

建立了玻璃光波导气敏元件检测氯苯气体的方法.采用浸渍-提拉法将ZnO敏感膜固定在锡掺杂玻璃光波导表面,研制出了检测氯苯气体的ZnO薄膜/锡掺杂玻璃光波导气敏元件,并用该玻璃光波导气敏元件对挥发性有机气体进行了检测.实验结果表明,在室温下,气敏元件对氯苯气体有明显的响应,而对相同浓度的其它挥发性有机气体的响应相对较小,对...     

A new evanescent wave ammonia sensor based on polyaniline composite

A single-mode TE(0)-TM(0) optical planar waveguide ammonia sensor based on polyaniline/polymethyl methacrylate (PANI/PMMA) composite is designed and developed. The sensing properties of the photonic sensor to ammonia at room temperature are studied. A significant change is observed in the guided light output power of the sensor after it is exposed to ammonia gas. The metrological parameters (sensitivity, response time and recovery time) of the sensor are strongly influenced by the interaction length (length of sensing region). Compared with the conventional optical ammonia sensor based on absorption spectroscopy, the integrated optical sensor is more sensitive to ammonia.     

Vapor sensing using polymer/carbon black composites in the percolative conduction regime

To investigate the behavior of chemiresistive vapor sensors operating below or around the percolation threshold, chemiresistors have been formed from composites of insulating organic polymers and low mass fractions of conductive carbon black (CB, 1-12% w/w). Such sensors produced extremely large relative differential resistance changes above certain threshold vapor concentrations. At high analyte partial pressures, these sensors exhibited better signal/noise characteristics and were typically less mutually correlated in their vapor response properties than composites formed using higher mass fractions of CB in the same set of polymer sorption layers. The responses of the low-mass-fraction CB sensors were, however, less repeatable, and their nonlinear response as a function of analyte concentration required more complicated calibration schemes to identify and quantify analyte vapors to compensate for drift of a sensor array and to compensate for variability in response between sensor arrays. Because of their much larger response signals, the low-mass-fraction CB sensors might be especially well suited for use with low-precision analog-to-digital signal readout electronics. These sensors serve well as a complement to composites formed from higher mass fractions of CB and have yielded insight into the tradeoffs of signal-to-noise improvements vs complexity of signal processing algorithms necessitated by the use of nonlinearly responding detectors in array-based sensing schemes.     

Gold nanoparticles to boost the gas sensing performance of porous sol–gel thin films

In this paper we review our research work of the last few years on the synthesis and the gas sensing properties of nanocomposite thin films of sensitive materials with a large specific surface area, which consist of porous matrices containing functional nanocrystals of metal oxides and gold. The film porosity provides a path for the gas molecules to reach the active reaction sites on the nanoparticles surface undergoing chemical reactions which nature depends on the nature of the active material. The introduction of Au nanoparticles affects the reactions mechanism improving the sensing process, moreover the Au Surface Plasmon Resonance peak can be used for the realization of selective optical gas sensor. Two different synthetic approaches will be described, each of them characterized by a peculiar control of the final materials morphology, structure and micro-structure.     

Capacitive sensor arrays with controllable deposition of the sensing polymer area for VOCs applications: Design and measurement considerations

InterDigitated Capacitive (IDC) sensor arrays are fabricated with conventional microelectronics-micromachining technologies on quartz substrates. After the IDC fabrication, a polymeric well is patterned around each IDC to precisely define the sensing area and thus deposit coatings of various polymers, by drop casting, in a reproducible and controlled manner. The performance of the coated IDC array is evaluated in terms of IDC critical dimension, measurement frequency and for two analytes and guidelines for improved sensing performance are proposed. Through careful selection of the polymeric coatings in conjunction with suitable signal processing, discrimination of VOCs is possible.