SBIR PHASE I: Thermally Robust pH Sensors for Geochemical and Environmental Applications

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目的重点是开发热稳定性（稳定超过100 +C）的pH传感器，用于地球化学和环境应用。现有的pH传感器是玻璃电极设计，广泛用于过程控制和研究应用。尽管它们简单、快速和稳定的能斯特响应，但玻璃电极pH传感器表现出酸和碱误差、对单价阳离子的敏感性、机械脆性、不期望的阻抗和在高温（100 +C）下的不稳定性。这些特性严重损害了市售pH传感器在广泛应用中的使用，特别是在地球化学和环境应用中。 提出了一种基于纳米结构材料的pH传感器，其克服了这些限制并且是经济的。 预计在第一阶段将建立传感器的概念验证，在第二阶段将与主要客户一起对传感器进行优化和现场测试，并在第三阶段将传感器商业化到利基市场。 所提出的pH传感器将有助于地球和地质研究，并使酸性气体的碱洗涤器、铬酸盐的解毒剂、公用事业厂的锅炉能够有效和可靠地运行。改进后的传感器将有助于勘探地质储量，保护原材料，改善环境，并有助于生产更安全可靠的产品。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project focuses on developing pH sensors that are thermally robust (stable over 100 +C) for geochemical and environmental applications. Existing pH sensors are of glass electrode design and are widely used for process control and research applications. Despite their simplicity, rapid and stable Nerstian reponse, the glass electrode pH sensors exhibit acid and alkali errors, sensitivity to monovalent cations, mechanical fragility, undesirable impedance, and instability at high temperatures ( 100 +C). These characteristics seriously impair the use of commercially available pH sensors in a wide range of applications, and geochemical and environmental applications in particular. it is proposed to demonstrate a pH sensor based on nanostructured materials that overcomes these limitations and is economical. Proof-of-concept of the sensori is expected to be established during Phase I, optimization and field testing of the sensor with lead customers during Phase II, and commercialization of the sensor to niche markets during Phase III. The proposed pH sensor would assist earth and geological studies and enable efficient and reliable operation of caustic scrubbers for acid gases, detoxifiers of chromates, boilers in utility plants . The improved sensor would help explore geological reserves, conserve raw materials, improve the environment, and help produce safer and reliable products.