Publications Details

Portable acoustic wave sensors for volatile organic compounds

Frye, G.C.; Cernosek, R.W.; Martin, S.J.

Portable acoustic wave sensor (PAWS) systems are being developed for real-time, on-line monitoring of volatile organic compounds (VOC`s). These systems are built around acoustic wave (SAW) devices coated with viscoelastic polymers. Two independent responses of the SAW sensor, wave velocity and wave attenuation, are measured to provide information about the chemical species sorbed by the coating. Rapid, reversible detection of gas phase volatile organics has been demonstrated for process monitoring and waste minimization in environmentally conscious manufacturing (ECM) applications and for documenting contaminant concentrations in remediation efforts.