Next Generation Sensor MaterialsApplications with the Trace Detection of Illicit Materials

CH2SiH2C

SiH2C

Si

H2C Si

Si

CH2

Si

CH2Si

CH2Si

CH2

CH2

Si

Si

CH2

CH2

H2C Si

Si

Si

H2C Si CH2

Si

E

EE

E

E

E

E

E

EE

E

E

E

E

EE

E

E

EE

E

E E

EE

E

E

E

E

EE

E

“HC”

CF3CF3

O O O

CF3

OHOH

CF3 CF3O

CF3 CF3CF3

n

CF3CF3CF3CF3

O O O

CF3CF3

OHOH

CF3CF3 CF3CF3O

CF3CF3 CF3CF3CF3CF3

n

Si O

CF3HO

F3C

nCH3

2000’s

1990’s

1980’s

E = C(CF3)2OH

“FPOL”

“SXFA”

NormalizedNerve AgentGas Sensor Response

NRL Polymer

POC: Andrew McGill, Code 6375, (202) 767-0063 amcgill@ccf.nrl.navy.milEric Houser, Code 6375, (202) 767-8537 ejhouser@ccf.nrl.navy.mil

Sponsor Acknowledgement: ONR, TSA, ATF, & DARPA

Hyperbranched and dendritic polycarbosilane designsprovide next generationmaterials

OCF3

CF3

H

OP

CH3F

O

OCF3

CF3

H

OP

CH3F

O

OCF3

CF3

H

OP

CH3F

O

Polymer

GB, SarinNerve AgentHydrogen-Bond

Transducer/Preconcentrator

Functionalized polymers used to concentrate illicit substances for transducer, trapping/preconcentrator, orchromatography applications

Program Goal- Design polymeric and nanostructured materials to

maximize the selectivity & sensitivity of detectors used to monitor illicit substances

Illicit Substances of Interest

- Chemical Agents

- Explosives

- Biological Agents

- Narcotics

Results- New classes of chemoselective materials with optimal

physicochemical properties including high thermal andchemical stability and low viscosity.

- Dramatic improvement in sensitivity and selectivity for detection of chemical agents

- Orders of magnitude improvement in trace detection of explosives

Transition

- 6 Recent related NRL patent applications

- 3 companies have recently licensed 4 of these technologies

- 2 Materials Transfer Agreements

- 2 CRADA’sCASPAR is a micromachined preconcentrator coated with a hyperbranched polymer, toprovide high flow collections of airborne illicit substances for enhanced trace detection

CASPAR is readily incorporated into commercial detection equipment to markedly enhance trace detection of explosives & CW agents

0 50 100 150

Time (seconds)

Detector Signal Log scale

CASPAR enhanced detector signal for analyte exposure

“CASPAR”,

0

5

10

15

20

25

FPOL SXFA HC HCM0

5

10

15

20

25

FPOL SXFA HC HCM

Industry Standard

20 X Improvement

Flow through design

150 µm150 µm

Example Polymer Coated MEMS based Sensors

350 µm

CASPAR attached to detector air intake

6 µm thick device provides a low thermal mass for rapid thermalcycling