Chemical sensing device
Inventors
WELING, Aniruddha • Lawrence, Tyson • Mahmud, Ken • Burgess, James • Krasnobaev, Leonid
Assignees
Publication Number
US-9816902-B2
Publication Date
2017-11-14
Expiration Date
2034-08-05
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Abstract
A chemical sensing system includes a substrate material, a detector capable of indicating a presence of a target compound, gas, or vapor, and a heater for rapidly releasing compounds, gases and vapors from the substrate material. The substrate material acts to concentrate the compounds, gases, and vapors from a sample area for improved detection by the detector.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a chemical sensing system comprising a substrate material, a detector for identifying target compounds, gases, or vapors, and a heater to facilitate rapid release of collected substances from the substrate. The substrate material is designed to concentrate compounds, gases, and vapors from a sample area, thus enhancing detection by the detector. The system employs a preconcentrator that includes a cartridge containing a substrate—optionally coated with organic compounds featuring both polar and hydrophobic functional groups—to selectively capture analytes of interest.
A significant aspect of the innovation is the substrate, which may possess controlled electrical resistivity and magnetic properties and can be composed of materials such as metal fibers, coated glass, carbonaceous materials, among others. The substrate may be porous to ensure efficient air flow, and the organic coating can be applied via methods like chemical vapor deposition to achieve a conformal and chemically selective surface. When heated, particularly through inductive heating in the presence of an induction coil, the bound chemicals are rapidly released for sensing.
The problem addressed by the invention is the need for sensitive detection of trace amounts of volatile organic compounds, relevant for applications such as detecting warfare gases, explosives, and volatile organic compounds in breath. Existing sensors are often challenged by low analyte concentration, interference from background chemicals, and inefficient sample collection and release mechanisms. The described system provides a means to efficiently collect, concentrate, and then rapidly release collected analytes, minimizing interference and improving sensitivity and selectivity for various chemical threats or diagnostic compounds.
Claims Coverage
The claims cover multiple inventive features as defined in the independent claim.
Integrated system for chemical sensing involving a sample collector, detector with induction heater, and preconcentrator
The invention centers on a system comprising: - A sample collector with a housing and a preconcentrator holder that can reversibly receive a preconcentrator. - A detector that includes a detector housing, a detector access port for reversible receipt of the preconcentrator, and an induction heater contained within the detector housing for heating the preconcentrator. - A sensing system operably connected to the access port and positioned to receive particles, gases, and vapors from the preconcentrator while received by the detector. - The preconcentrator itself, comprising a cartridge and a substrate enclosed within the cartridge, where the substrate exhibits a resistivity of about 105 ohm-meters to about 10−7 ohm-meters, magnetic permeability of about 1×10−4 H/m to about 1 H/m, and a relative permeability greater than 100.
In summary, the claims focus on the system-level integration of a sample collector, induction-heated detector, and specially configured preconcentrator to efficiently collect, release, and sense trace chemical compounds.
Stated Advantages
Enables rapid and uniform heating of the substrate for efficient analyte release using low power consumption, potentially less than about 10 watts to heat 0.1 gram of substrate.
Provides high preconcentration factors (up to 1000) for trace chemical detection, increasing sensitivity of detection systems.
Exhibits discriminatory ability for target analytes by using chemically selective coatings that enhance specificity while reducing interference from background substances like water vapor and smoke.
Allows for reusable coated substrates with stable adhesion and performance up to at least 20 cycles and thermal stability up to at least 250°C.
Enables fast heating rates (85-125°C/sec) and low pressure drop during sampling, improving operational efficiency.
The device is portable, compact, and can be battery powered, supporting field deployment.
Provides reduced maintenance costs by eliminating moving parts and consumable heating meshes or coils, and enables easy replacement of preconcentrator cartridges.
Documented Applications
Detection of trace amounts of volatile organic compounds, including warfare gas stimulants, explosives, and volatile organic compounds in breath.
Field and transportable chemical threat detection using portable, compact systems in configurations such as hand-carried, backpack, or wheeled cart forms.
Use with existing commercial trace detectors including ion mobility spectrometry (IMS), differential mobility spectrometry (DMS), and mass spectrometry (MS) for chemical analysis.
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