Environmental Monitoring Using Microcantilever Sensors
There is presently an urgent need for rugged, low cost sensing systems for real-time, in situ chemical sensors for characterization and monitoring of ground water, contaminated soil and process streams. Recent advances in designing and fabricating microcantilever beams capable of detecting extremely small forces, mechanical stress and mass additions offer the promising prospect of environmental sensing with unprecedented sensitivity and dynamic range. The resonance frequency of a cantilever beam varies sensitively as a function of molecular adsorption. In addition, when the adsorption is confined to one side of the cantilever, the cantilever undergoes deflection due to adsorption-induced variation in surface free energy. Chemical selectivity can be achieved by coating the cantilevers with selective molecules. We have detected a number of ions such as Cs, Cr, Cu, Hg and methyl Hg in ground water with very high sensitivity. Recent results from nanocantilever sensor arrays will be presented.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC) (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 826397
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 225th American Chemical Society Meeting, New Orleans, LA (US), 03/23/2003--03/27/2003; Other Information: PBD: 27 Mar 2003
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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