Detection of Volatile Organic Compounds by Using MEMS Sensors

Sensors (Basel). 2022 May 28;22(11):4102. doi: 10.3390/s22114102.

Abstract

We report on the deployment of MEMS static bifurcation (DC) sensors for the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs): hydrogen sulfide and formaldehyde. We demonstrate a sensor that can detect as low as a few ppm of hydrogen sulfide. We also demonstrate a sensor array that can selectively detect formaldehyde in the presence of benzene, a closely related interferent. Toward that end, we investigate the sensitivity and selectivity of two detector polymers-polyaniline (PANI) and poly (2,5-dimethyl aniline) (P25DMA)-to both gases. A semiautomatic method is developed to functionalize individual sensors and sensor arrays with the detector polymers. We found that the sensor array can selectively sense 1 ppm of formaldehyde in the presence of benzene.

Keywords: MEMS; VOCs; bifurcation; electrostatic.

MeSH terms

  • Benzene
  • Formaldehyde
  • Hydrogen Sulfide*
  • Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems*
  • Polymers
  • Volatile Organic Compounds*

Substances

  • Polymers
  • Volatile Organic Compounds
  • Formaldehyde
  • Benzene
  • Hydrogen Sulfide

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.