Chemical selectivity and sensitivity of a 16-channel electronic nose for trace vapour detection

Strle, Drago (author), Štefane, Bogdan (author), Trifković, Mario (author), Midden, Marion van (author), Kvasić, Ivan (author), Zupanič, Erik (author), Muševič, Igor (author)

Good chemical selectivity of sensors for detecting vapour traces of targeted molecules is vital to reliable detection systems for explosives and other harmful materials. We present the design, construction and measurements of the electronic response of a 16 channel electronic nose based on 16 differential microcapacitors, which were surface-functionalized by different silanes. The e-nose detects less than 1 molecule of TNT out of 10$^{+12}$ N$_2$ molecules in a carrier gas in 1 s. Differently silanized sensors give different responses to different molecules. Electronic responses are presented for TNT, RDX, DNT, H$_2$S, HCN, FeS, NH$_3$, propane, methanol, acetone, ethanol, methane, toluene and water. We consider the number density of these molecules and find that silane surfaces show extreme affinity for attracting molecules of TNT, DNT and RDX. The probability to bind these molecules and form a surface-adsorbate is typically 10$^{+7}$ times larger than the probability to bind water molecules, for example. We present a matrix of responses of differently functionalized microcapacitors and we propose that chemical selectivity of multichannel e-nose could be enhanced by using artificial intelligence deep learning methods.

• Language: English
• Keywords: artificial nose, signal processing, vapour trace detection, gas sensor, electronic nose, sensor array, capacitive microsensors, chemical sensing, explosive detection
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FE - Faculty of Electrical Engineering; FKKT - Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology; FMF - Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2017
• Number of pages: 24 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 17, iss. 12, art. 2845
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-131882
• UDC: 621.38:681.5
• ISSN on article: 1424-8220
• DOI: 10.3390/s17122845
• COBISS.SI-ID: 11909716
• Publication date in RUL: 05.10.2021

STRLE, Drago, ŠTEFANE, Bogdan, TRIFKOVIĆ, Mario, MIDDEN, Marion van, KVASIĆ, Ivan, ZUPANIČ, Erik and MUŠEVIČ, Igor, 2017, Chemical selectivity and sensitivity of a 16-channel electronic nose for trace vapour detection. Sensors [online]. 2017. Vol. 17, no. 12,  2845. [Accessed 7 June 2025]. DOI 10.3390/s17122845. Retrieved from: https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?lang=eng&id=131882

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Sensors
• Shortened title: Sensors
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 1424-8220
• COBISS.SI-ID: 10176278

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 08.12.2017

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: umetni nos, signalno procesiranje, sistem za zaznavanje sledov molekul, senzor plina

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: J7-8272
• Name: Integrirani večkanalni umetni nos za zaznavanje sledov molekul v parni fazi