Simultaneous determination of the concentration of methanol and relative humidity based on a single Nafion(Ag)-coated quartz crystal microbalance

Quartz Crystal Microbalance Coated with Polyacrylonitrile/Nickel Nanofibers for High-Performance Methanol Gas Detection

This study describes a sensor based on quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) coated by polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers containing nickel nanoparticles for methanol gas detection. The PAN/nickel nanofibers composites were made via electrospinning and electrospray methods. The QCM sensors coated with the PAN/nickel nanofiber composite were evaluated for their sensitivities, selectivities, and stabilities. The morphologies and elemental compositions of the sensors were examined using a scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive X-ray. A Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometer was used to investigate the elemental bonds within the nanofiber composites. The QCM sensors coated with PAN/nickel nanofibers offered a high specific surface area to enhance the QCM sensing performance. They exhibited excellent sensing characteristics, including a high sensitivity of 389.8 ± 3.8 Hz/SCCM, response and recovery times of 288 and 251 s, respectively, high selectivity for methanol compared to other gases, a limit of detection (LOD) of about 1.347 SCCM, and good long-term stability. The mechanism of methanol gas adsorption by the PAN/nickel nanofibers can be attributed to intermolecular interactions, such as the Lewis acid-base reaction by PAN nanofibers and hydrogen bonding by nickel nanoparticles. The results suggest that QCM-coated PAN/nickel nanofiber composites show great potential for the design of highly sensitive and selective methanol gas sensors.

A room temperature NH3 gas sensor based on a quartz crystal microbalance coated with a rGO-SnO2 composite film

Novel QCM NH₃ gas sensors made of reduced graphene oxide-SnO₂ (rGO-SnO₂) composite films were fabricated using a one-pot technique, which is a fast and easy fabrication route that is useful for practical applications. The surface morphology and composition of the rGO-SnO₂ composite films were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray elemental mapping and transmission electron microscopy. On the basis of the microstructural observations, SnO₂ connected to rGO sheets and naked rGO sheets were observed on the surface of the rGO-SnO₂ composite films. The effects of the amount of added rGO sheets on the enhancement of the NH₃ gas sensing properties of the rGO-SnO₂ composite films were studied. The analysis of the adsorption dynamics (association constant) confirmed the higher sensitivity of the QCM NH₃ gas sensor based on the rGO-SnO₂ composite film than that of the sensor with the pristine SnO₂ film.

A highly sensitive electrochemical sensor for the determination of methanol based on PdNPs@SBA-15-PrEn modified electrode

In this study, a novel electrochemical sensor for the determination of methanol based on palladium nanoparticles supported on Santa barbara amorphous-15- PrNHEtNH₂ (PdNPs@SBA-15-PrEn) as nanocatalysis platform is presented. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electrochemical methods are employed to characterize the PdNPs@SBA-15-PrEn nanocomposite. The Nafion-Pd@SBA-15-PrEn modified glassy carbon electrode (Nafion-PdNPs@SBA-15-PrEn/GCE) displayed the high electrochemical activity and excellent catalytic characteristic for electro-oxidation of methanol in an alkaline solution. The electro-oxidation performance of the proposed sensor was investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and amperometry. The sensor exhibits a good sensitivity of 0.0905 Amol^-1 Lcm^-2, linear range of 20-1000 μM and the corresponding detection limit of 12 μM (3σ). The results demonstrate that the Nafion-PdNPs@SBA-15-PrEn/GCE has potential as an efficient and integrated sensor for methanol detection.

A capacitance sensor for water: trace moisture measurement in gases and organic solvents

The determination of water in various matrices is one of the most important analytical measurements. We report on a high-resolution capacitance-based moisture sensor utilizing a thin film of a perfluorosulfonate ionomer (PFSI)-H(3)PO(4) composite in a flow-through configuration, for both gas and liquid samples. Incorporation of H(3)PO(4) into a PFSI sensing film improved the limit of detection (LOD) (signal-to-noise ratio, S/N = 3) by a factor of 16 in the gas phase to 0.075% relative humidity (RH) (dew point = -56 °C). The response time was dependent on the sensing film thickness and composition and was as low as ∼60 ms. The temperature dependence of the sensor response, and its relative selectivity over alcohol and various other solvents, are reported. Measurement of water in organic solvents was carried out in two different ways. In one procedure, the sample was vaporized and swept into the detector (e.g., in a gas chromatograph (GC) without a column); it permitted a throughput of 80 samples/h. This is well-suited for higher (%) levels of water. In the other method, a flow injection analysis system integrated to a tubular dialysis membrane pervaporizer (PV-FIA) was used; the LOD for water in ethanol was 0.019% (w/w). We demonstrated the temporal course of drying of ethanol by Drierite; the PV-FIA results showed excellent correspondence (r(2) > 0.99) with results from GC-thermal conductivity detection. The system can measure trace water in many types of organic solvents; no reagent consumption is involved.

Gas Chromatographic Quantitative Analysis of Methanol in Wine: Operative Conditions, Optimization and Calibration Model Choice

The influence of the wine distillation process on methanol content has been determined by quantitative analysis using gas chromatographic flame ionization (GC-FID) detection. A comparative study between direct injection of diluted wine and injection of distilled wine was performed. The distillation process does not affect methanol quantification in wines in proportions higher than 10%. While quantification performed on distilled samples gives more reliable results, a screening method for wine injection after a 1:5 water dilution could be employed. The proposed technique was found to be a compromise between the time consuming distillation process and direct wine injection. In the studied calibration range, the stability of the volatile compounds in the reference solution is concentration-dependent. The stability is higher in the less concentrated reference solution. To shorten the operation time, a stronger temperature ramp and carrier flow rate was employed. With these conditions, helium consumption and column thermal stress were increased. However, detection limits, calibration limits, and analytical method performances are not affected substantially by changing from normal to forced GC conditions.

Statistical data evaluation were made using both ordinary (OLS) and bivariate least squares (BLS) calibration models. Further confirmation was obtained that limit of detection (LOD) values, calculated according to the 3σ approach, are lower than the respective Hubaux-Vos (H-V) calculation method. H-V LOD depends upon background noise, calibration parameters and the number of reference standard solutions employed in producing the calibration curve. These remarks are confirmed by both calibration models used.

Self-assembled copolymeric nanoparticles as chemically interactive materials for humidity sensors

Chemical interactive materials (CIM), based on poly(methylmethacrylate-co-bis(benzocyclobutene)) P(MMA-co-BCB) and poly(styrene-co-bis(benzocyclobutene)) P(S-co-BCB) nanoparticles, have been prepared through modified emulsion technique. Experimental conditions, in particular the co-monomer ratio and reaction time, have been tuned to modulate nanoparticles' dimension and optimize their monodispersity. Resistive relative humidity (RH) sensors based on self-assembled copolymeric nanoparticles, cast deposited onto metal interdigitated electrodes (Al, Au, Cr), have been fabricated. The electrical response and the devices' stability have been studied in the range 10-90% RH. Applying 1 V to interdigitated electrodes, a variation of four orders of magnitude, from 10(-12) to 10(-8) A, has been observed and a response time of 130 s has been calculated. Response reproducibility and stability have been tested in subsequent cycles of measurements (working times as long as two days and after six months), confirming the stable performance of the CIMs. Copolymeric nanoparticle assembly has also been studied by quartz microbalance (QMB) devices, where phase shift occurred, by varying RH in the range 10-90%. The CIM coated device shows a sensitivity of about 30 Hz/% (at 10-70% RH), that rapidly increases up to about 2000 Hz/% at 90% RH. The results give evidence for versatile applications of P(MMA-co-BCB) and P(S-co-BCB) nanoparticles for sensing applications.

Wireless resonant sensor array for high-throughput screening of materials

Screening of materials arrays for their viscoelastic, gas-sorbing, and dielectric properties is important in a wide variety of combinatorial materials science applications. Impedance analysis is an attractive approach to analyze these materials properties and to generate the required new knowledge. Often, these measurements are performed by applying a material onto a suitable sensor and monitoring the changes in materials properties. However, when such a sensor is positioned into a test cell, a direct-wired connection to the analyzer becomes complicated. These complications further increase dramatically when a whole array of sensors is being tested in the test cell. To eliminate these complications, we developed a wireless proximity resonant sensor array system. In the developed system, tested materials are applied onto an array of thickness-shear mode (TSM) resonators operating at 10 MHz and arranged for performance testing in a test chamber. Each TSM resonator is coupled to a receiver coil (antenna). An array of these coils is read with a single scanning transmitter coil or an array of transmitter coils. This high-throughput screening approach of sensing materials permits their evaluation in complex environments where additional wiring is not desirable or adds a prohibitively complex design. We demonstrated the applicability of the wireless sensor materials screening approach for the rapid evaluation of the effects of conditioning of polymeric sensing films at different temperatures on the vapor-response patterns to several vapors of industrial, health, law enforcement, and security interest (ethanol, acetonitrile, and water vapors).