This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 research project will optimize novel thick film materials and low cost screen-printing processes to create high performance, selective gas sensors that are significantly less expensive than competing technologies. Currently there are no stable, rapid responding semiconductor gas sensors that exhibit improved selectivity and that are inexpensive to manufacture. This research intends to solve this problem by demonstrating that high performance sensor platforms can be fabricated using well-developed, inexpensive screen-printing techniques and its proprietary, NanoCarbon thermally fugitive ink systems. Advanced, low thermal mass platforms will be created that enable robust gas sensors to respond rapidly, use very little power, and achieve improved selectivity and stability through temperature-programmed modulation.
These innovative high performance gas sensors could have important broad impacts on the environment, health, safety and energy conservation. Specific examples of health and safety benefits include rapid detection of dangerous flammable and toxic gases, and low-cost portable sensors for detection of chemical warfare agents. Examples where efficiency and environmental remediation could be significantly improved include industrial process optimization for energy conservation, pollution monitoring with networked arrays, and systems that limit or control exposure to smog and environmental pollutants.
