Gas sensor and method of optimizing an array of gas sensors
Inventors
Wilmer, Christopher E. • GUSTAFSON, JENNA • Ohodnicki, Paul R. • Devkota, Jagannath
Assignees
Publication Number
US-11513100-B2
Publication Date
2022-11-29
Expiration Date
2038-01-26
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Abstract
A gas sensor (100,200) includes at least one sensor device including a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device (110) or a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) device (210), and a layer of metal organic framework (MOF) material (120,220) disposed on each of the at least one sensor device. The at least one sensor device is structured to sense a change in mass of the MOF material.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a gas sensor that includes at least one sensor device comprising a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device or a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) device with a layer of metal organic framework (MOF) material disposed on the sensor device. The sensor device is structured to sense a change in the mass of the MOF material, which adsorbs gas molecules, allowing for the detection of specific gases based on mass changes.
The disclosed concept addresses limitations of traditional electronic noses, which are specialized to specific gas mixtures and typically only measure a single gas species concentration. Traditional devices rely on trial-and-error material selection and require laborious training to recognize gas mixtures, and they suffer from issues like sensor drift and limited operational conditions.
The invention uses combinations of MOFs, which are crystalline nanoporous materials with tunable pore sizes, allowing specific interactions with various gases and enabling accurate simulations of gas adsorption. These MOFs are deposited on SAW or QCM sensor arrays, which transduce the adsorption of gases as measurable mass changes, eliminating the need for training and enabling in silico predictive optimization of sensor arrays. An intelligent analytics algorithm combines signals from each sensor array element using probabilistic estimations to accurately identify gas compositions.
Claims Coverage
The patent includes two independent claims covering a gas sensor and a method of optimizing an array of gas sensors, featuring MOF materials on SAW or QCM devices and simulation-based optimization.
Gas sensor with MOF-coated SAW devices in an array
A gas sensor comprising a plurality of surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor devices arranged in an array, each having a layer of metal organic framework (MOF) material disposed thereon, wherein the SAW devices sense a change in mass of the MOF material, and each sensor uses a different MOF material type.
Method of optimizing an array of gas sensors using simulation-based effectiveness scoring
A method comprising selecting gas mixtures, MOF materials, and array sizes; generating potential arrays with different MOF combinations; simulating adsorption characteristics of MOFs for the gas mixtures; calculating an effectiveness score for each potential array based on these simulations; and selecting one or more arrays for fabrication based on the calculated effectiveness scores.
The claims cover a gas sensor array combining SAW devices with different MOF coatings to sense gas mixtures by mass changes and a method using simulations to optimize such sensor arrays by selecting MOF combinations and array sizes for improved sensing performance.
Stated Advantages
Elimination of training requirements allowing detection of a wider range of gases over diverse environmental conditions.
Dramatic mitigation of sensor drift due to the use of MOF materials with predictable adsorption properties.
Capability for predictive in silico optimization of sensor arrays, avoiding expensive trial-and-error experimental processes.
Increased sensitivity and selectivity to different gas components by using arrays of different MOF materials.
Provision of a direct chemical composition output through intelligent analytics combining probabilistic estimations from sensor arrays.
Documented Applications
Detecting diseases via a person's odor or breath.
Monitoring air quality and detecting dangerous gas leaks.
Finding hidden landmines as an alternative to canine scent detection.
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