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Title: Multi-pin chemiresistors for microchemical sensors

Patent ·
OSTI ID:902701

A multi-pin chemiresistor for use in microchemical sensors. A pair of free-standing, bare wires is supported by an electrically insulating support, and are oriented parallel to each other and spaced closely together. A free-standing film of a chemically sensitive polymer that swells when exposed to vapors of a volatile chemical is formed in-between the pair of closely-spaced wires by capillary action. Similar in construction to a thermocouple, this "chemicouple" is relatively inexpensive and easy to fabricate by dipping the pair of bare wires into a bath of well-mixed chemiresistor ink. Also, a chemiresistor "stick" is formed by dipping an electrically insulating rod with two or more linear or spiral-wrapped electrical traces into the bath of well-mixed chemiresistor ink, which deposits a uniform coating of the chemically sensitive polymer on the rod and the electrical traces. These "sticks" can be easily removed and replaced from a multi-chemiresistor plug.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
Assignee:
Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NH)
Patent Number(s):
7,179,421
Application Number:
10/349,689
OSTI ID:
902701
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (2)

In-Situ Chemiresistor Sensor Package for Real-Time Detection of Volatile Organic Compounds in Soil and Groundwater journal January 2002
Integrated chemiresistor array for small sensor platforms conference August 2000