Polymer–Plasticizer Coatings for BTEX Detection Using Quartz Crystal Microbalance
Sensing films based on polymer–plasticizer coatings have been developed to detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere at low concentrations (ppm) using quartz crystal microbalances (QCMs). Of particular interest in this work are the VOCs benzene, ethylbenzene, and toluene which, alon...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/16/5667 |
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| author | Abhijeet Iyer Veselinka Mitevska Jonathan Samuelson Scott Campbell Venkat R. Bhethanabotla |
| author_facet | Abhijeet Iyer Veselinka Mitevska Jonathan Samuelson Scott Campbell Venkat R. Bhethanabotla |
| author_sort | Abhijeet Iyer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sensing films based on polymer–plasticizer coatings have been developed to detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere at low concentrations (ppm) using quartz crystal microbalances (QCMs). Of particular interest in this work are the VOCs benzene, ethylbenzene, and toluene which, along with xylene, are collectively referred to as BTEX. The combinations of four glassy polymers with five plasticizers were studied as prospective sensor films for this application, with PEMA-DINCH (5%) and PEMA-DIOA (5%) demonstrating optimal performance. This work shows how the sensitivity and selectivity of a glassy polymer film for BTEX detection can be altered by adding a precise amount and type of plasticizer. To quantify the film saturation dynamics and model the absorption of BTEX analyte molecules into the bulk of the sensing film, a diffusion study was performed in which the frequency–time curve obtained via QCM was correlated with gas-phase analyte composition and the infinite dilution partition coefficients of each constituent. The model was able to quantify the respective concentrations of each analyte from binary and ternary mixtures based on the difference in response time (<i>τ</i>) values using a single polymer–plasticizer film as opposed to the traditional approach of using a sensor array. This work presents a set of polymer–plasticizer coatings that can be used for detecting and quantifying the BTEX in air, and discusses the selection of an optimum film based on <i>τ</i>, infinite dilution partition coefficients, and stability over a period of time. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:23:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-df6404aab213455c9aa97792973d7cf6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:23:53Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-df6404aab213455c9aa97792973d7cf62023-11-22T09:43:47ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202021-08-012116566710.3390/s21165667Polymer–Plasticizer Coatings for BTEX Detection Using Quartz Crystal MicrobalanceAbhijeet Iyer0Veselinka Mitevska1Jonathan Samuelson2Scott Campbell3Venkat R. Bhethanabotla4Department of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620-5350, USADepartment of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620-5350, USADepartment of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620-5350, USADepartment of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620-5350, USADepartment of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620-5350, USASensing films based on polymer–plasticizer coatings have been developed to detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere at low concentrations (ppm) using quartz crystal microbalances (QCMs). Of particular interest in this work are the VOCs benzene, ethylbenzene, and toluene which, along with xylene, are collectively referred to as BTEX. The combinations of four glassy polymers with five plasticizers were studied as prospective sensor films for this application, with PEMA-DINCH (5%) and PEMA-DIOA (5%) demonstrating optimal performance. This work shows how the sensitivity and selectivity of a glassy polymer film for BTEX detection can be altered by adding a precise amount and type of plasticizer. To quantify the film saturation dynamics and model the absorption of BTEX analyte molecules into the bulk of the sensing film, a diffusion study was performed in which the frequency–time curve obtained via QCM was correlated with gas-phase analyte composition and the infinite dilution partition coefficients of each constituent. The model was able to quantify the respective concentrations of each analyte from binary and ternary mixtures based on the difference in response time (<i>τ</i>) values using a single polymer–plasticizer film as opposed to the traditional approach of using a sensor array. This work presents a set of polymer–plasticizer coatings that can be used for detecting and quantifying the BTEX in air, and discusses the selection of an optimum film based on <i>τ</i>, infinite dilution partition coefficients, and stability over a period of time.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/16/5667plasticizationpolymerssensitivityquantifydiffusion |
| spellingShingle | Abhijeet Iyer Veselinka Mitevska Jonathan Samuelson Scott Campbell Venkat R. Bhethanabotla Polymer–Plasticizer Coatings for BTEX Detection Using Quartz Crystal Microbalance Sensors plasticization polymers sensitivity quantify diffusion |
| title | Polymer–Plasticizer Coatings for BTEX Detection Using Quartz Crystal Microbalance |
| title_full | Polymer–Plasticizer Coatings for BTEX Detection Using Quartz Crystal Microbalance |
| title_fullStr | Polymer–Plasticizer Coatings for BTEX Detection Using Quartz Crystal Microbalance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Polymer–Plasticizer Coatings for BTEX Detection Using Quartz Crystal Microbalance |
| title_short | Polymer–Plasticizer Coatings for BTEX Detection Using Quartz Crystal Microbalance |
| title_sort | polymer plasticizer coatings for btex detection using quartz crystal microbalance |
| topic | plasticization polymers sensitivity quantify diffusion |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/16/5667 |
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