Multimodal Sensing Platform for Innovative Gas Detection and Monitoring

空气质量监测和控制是智能城市和智能家居应用的重中之重。此外，氢经济必须确保氢及其衍生物（如氨）的安全运输和利用。因此，迫切需要开发基于平台的低成本、便携、准确的气体检测技术。同一平台也可用于通过监测挥发性有机化合物来早期发现不同的疾病。技术突破对于推动下一代气体传感平台至关重要，下一代气体传感平台依靠新型材料和尖端设备来感知和监测各种应用。本RTI提案旨在开发最先进的多模式气体检测平台。该平台基于多模态传感，同时使用机械、电化学和光学方法来区分不同的气体。不同信号的融合将提供所需的灵敏度和选择性。一个石英晶体微天平（QCM）将被用作平台的基础。根据不同的应用，对不同气体和挥发性化合物具有一定亲和力的不同纳米材料将被选择性地涂覆。该检测系统还将监测由于化学物质的存在而引起的电化学变化。此外，表面增强拉曼光谱将用于精确获取由于化学物质在QCM表面吸收而引起的拉曼位移。该系统的研究和应用将为便携式气体传感系统的发展打开新的大门。该系统也将被多学科研究小组和HQP不断使用。

Air quality monitoring and control are high priorities in smart city and smart home applications. Moreover, the hydrogen economy must ensure the safe transportation and utilization of hydrogen and its derivatives, such as ammonia. As such, there is a strong urgency to develop platform based gas detection technology that is low cost, portable, and accurate. The same platform can also be utilized for early detection of different diseases through monitoring volatile organic compounds. Technological breakthroughs are critical in driving the next generation of gas sensing platforms, which rely on novel materials and cutting-edge equipment to sense and monitor for various applications. This RTI proposal is for the development of state of the art multimodal gas detection platform. The platform is based on multimodal sensing where mechanical, electrochemical, and optical methods are used simultaneously to distinguish different gases. The fusion of different signals would provide the desired sensitivity and selectivity. A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) will be used as the basis of the platform. Depending on applications, different nanomaterials with certain affinities to different gases and volatile compounds will be selectively coated. The detection system will also monitor electrochemical changes due to presence of chemicals. Moreover, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy will be utilized to accurately acquire the Raman shifts due to chemicals absorbed on QCM surfaces. The research and applications enabled by the proposed system will open new doors to advancements in portable gas sensing systems. The system will also be constantly utilized by the multidisciplinary team of researchers and HQP.