A Study of a QCM Sensor Based on TiO₂ Nanostructures for the Detection of NO₂ and Explosives Vapours in Air.
The paper deals with investigations concerning the construction of sensors based on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) containing a TiO2 nanostructures sensor layer. A chemical method of synthesizing these nanostructures is presented. The prepared prototype of the QCM sensing system, as well as the results of tests for detecting low NO2 concentrations in an atmosphere of synthetic air have been described. The constructed NO2 sensors operate at room temperature, which is a great advantage, because resistance sensors based on wide gap semiconductors often require much higher operation temperatures, sometimes as high as 500 °C. The sensors constructed by the authors can be used, among other applications, in medical and chemical diagnostics, and also for the purpose of detecting explosive vapours. Reactions of the sensor to nitroglycerine vapours are presented as an example of its application. The influence of humidity on the operation of the sensor was studied.
Department of Optoelectronics, Silesian University of Technology, 2 Akademicka St., 44-100 Gliwice, Poland. Marcin.Procek@polsl.pl.
Marcin
M
Procek
Department of Physical Chemistry and Technology of Polymers, Silesian University of Technology, 9 Strzody St., 44-100 Gliwice, Poland. Agnieszka.Stolarczyk@polsl.pl.
Agnieszka
A
Stolarczyk
Department of Optoelectronics, Silesian University of Technology, 2 Akademicka St., 44-100 Gliwice, Poland. Tadeusz.Pustelny@polsl.pl.
Tadeusz
T
Pustelny
Department of Optoelectronics, Silesian University of Technology, 2 Akademicka St., 44-100 Gliwice, Poland. Erwin.Maciak@polsl.pl.
Erwin
E
Maciak