This SBIR Phase I project is directed toward the development of an inorganic electronic nose. Monitoring air quality is becoming more important as there is a growing evidence that the environment can directly affect our health. in addition, there is an increasing demand for gaseous concentration measurements in other areas as diverse as the medical industry, process control, aerospace, and the military. Applications in these fields would be best served by fast, stable, and reproducible measurements on mixed gases. Conventional gas sensors are not suitable for these applications. Array-based sensors are emerging as a new technology, which overcome the shortcomings of conventional sensors. In this project, we propose a innovative approach to prepare arrays of sensors based on semiconducting metal oxides in which the limitations associated with the current electronic noses will be eliminated. Lynntech combining microhotplate technology and combinatorial chemistry, will prepare a new generation of inorganic nose capable of fast, stable, and reproducible concentration measurements on mixed gas systems. The goal of this Phase I project is to show the feasibility of the proposed sensor devices in qualitatively and quantitatively identifying various gases. In Phase II project, Lynntech will resolve all the research and development issues and work with industrial partners to license out the proposed technology.
Potential applications of the proposed inorganic electronic nose are enormous. Air quality monitoring, process control, and food processing will immediately benefit from this technology. Inorganic electronic nose will also find many applications in the medical industry to identify certain skin diseases and infections and remote monitoring of patients. Lynntech's electronic nose technology can also be utilized by the military to quantitatively evaluate explosives and chemical/biological warfare agents. The proposed technology is also expected to find a use in analytical and environmental instrumentations for routine laboratory analysis.
