Design of Advanced Sensing Materials

Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Abstract

This award to Professors Jiri Janata and Miroslawa Josowicz of the Georgia Institute of Technology is supported by the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program in the Chemistry Division. Polyanaline and the closely related poly(phenylene sulfidephenyleneamine) are to be modified with non-aqeuous acids and/or metal clusters in an effort to finely adjust the electronic work functions of these electrically conducting polymers. In this way, gas sensors made from these polymers are to have greater sensitivity and selectivity to specific gas molecules. A donacity scale of interactions is proposed to correlate gas/polymer interactions with the polymer work function, with the goal of more predictable sensor performance. In addition, sensor fabrication methods are to be explored with a electrochemical molecular imprinting technique. Chemical sensing arrays can be prepared from a matrix of electrically conducting polymers. However, sensitivity, selectivity, robustness, and compatibility with solid-state fabrication processes remain as unresolved issues. In this work, fundamental methods for tuning the selectivity of a polymer matrix will be explored along with a new strategy for fabrication.