SST: Collaborative Research: Capacitive Sensing for Liquid Crystal-Based Chemical and Biological Sensors

研究人员组成了一个由电气、化学和生物工程师组成的传感器小组(SST)，以探索基于液晶(LC)的化学和生物传感器的电容传感。在其中一位研究人员的努力下，LC系统已被证明是低成本、便携、现场可部署、高度选择性的化学和生物传感器的极佳候选者。在这些传感器中，液晶的分子排列会因目标化学或生物试剂的存在而改变。LC分子的集体行为和高度各向异性允许检测极低水平的靶向试剂。这位研究人员展示了化学和生物体系中液晶分子的表面驱动取向变化，灵敏度水平低至十亿分之十。在这些例子中，目视检查用于感测LC材料内的变形。PI建议将传感方法从光学技术改变为电容式技术。为了利用电容传感，PI将汇集威斯康星大学Nicholas Abbott教授和Juan de Pablo教授团队在化学和生物工程方面的专业知识，以及阿拉巴马大学亨茨维尔分校Robert Lindquist教授团队在电气和计算机工程方面的专业知识。该团队将采用系统方法，涵盖偏序系统中电容传感的基本问题，详细的LC变形及其对电容的影响的动态建模，化学和生物传感器的最佳材料和电极设计，以及最后的设备集成问题。这是一个与阿拉巴马大学亨茨维尔分校(R.G.Lindquist)联合/合作的项目，拨款编号04428073。

0428027AbbottThe investigators have formed a sensor small team (SST) of electrical, chemical and biological engineers to explore capacitive sensing for liquid crystal (LC) based chemical and biological sensors. Lead by the efforts of one of the investigators on this proposal, LC systems have proven to be excellent candidates for low cost, portable, field-deployable, highly selective chemical and biological sensors. In these sensors, the molecular alignment of liquid crystal is altered by the presence of targeted chemical or biological agents. The collective behavior and high anisotropy of the LC molecules allow for the detection of extremely low levels of targeted agents. This investigator has demonstrated surface-driven orientational changes of LC molecules in both chemical and biological systems with sensitivity levels as low as ten parts per billion. In these examples, visual inspection is used to sense the deformations within the LC material. The PIs propose to change the transduction method from an optical to a capacitive technique. To exploit capacitive sensing, the PIs will bring together expertise in chemical and biological engineering from Professors Nicholas Abbott and Juan de Pablo's group at The University of Wisconsin and expertise in electrical and computer engineering from Professor Robert Lindquist's group at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. The team will take a systems approach that covers the fundamental issues of capacitive sensing in partially ordered systems, detailed dynamic modeling of the LC deformation and its impact on capacitance, optimal material and electrode designs for both chemical and biological sensors, and finally device integration issues.This is a joint/collaborative project with University of Alabama in Huntsville (R.G. Lindquist) grant number 04428073.