Vanadium oxide-porphyrin nanocomposites as gas sensor interfaces for probing low water content in ethanol

Vanadium pentoxide xerogels (VXG) incorporating meso(3- and 4-pyridyl)porphyrin cobalt(III) species coordinated to four [Ru(bipy)(2)Cl](+) complexes were employed as gas sensing materials capable of detecting small amounts of water in commercial ethanol and fuel supplies. According to their X-ray diffraction data, the original VXG lamellar framework was maintained in the nanocomposite material, but the interlamellar distance increased from 11.7 to 15.2 angstrom, reflecting the intercalation of the porphyrin species into the vanadium pentoxide matrix. The films generated by direct deposition of the nanocomposite aqueous suspensions exhibited good electrical and electrochemical performance for application in resistive sensors. The analysis of water in ethanol and fuels was carried out successfully using an especially designed electric setup incorporating a laminar gas flow chamber and interdigitated gold electrodes coated with the nanocomposites. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Urea amperometric biosensors based on a multifunctional bipolymeric layer: Comparing enzyme immobilization methods

This paper outlines the results obtained with biosensors designed for urea amperometric detection. The incorporation of urease into a bipolymeric substrate consisting of poly(pyrrole) and poly(5-amino-1-naphthol) was performed through four different approaches: direct adsorption, entrapment in cellulose acetate layer. cross-linking with glutaraldehyde, and also covalent attachment to the polymeric matrix. Poly(pyrrole) acts as amperometric transducer in these biosensors, while poly(5-amino-1-naphthol) drastically reduces the interference signal of agents such as ascorbic and uric acids. The biosensors containing urease covalently attached to the substrate provided interesting results in terms of sensitivity towards urea (0.50 mu A cm(-2) mmol(-1) L), lifetime (20 days) and short response times, due to the enzyme immobilization method used. All biosensors analyzed showed also a wide linear concentration range (up to 100 mmol L(-1)) and low detection limits (0.22-0.58 mmol L(-1)). (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fabrication of disposable voltammetric electronic tongues by using Prussian Blue films electrodeposited onto CD-R gold surfaces and recognition of milk adulteration

A new approach to fabricate a disposable electronic tongue is reported. The fabrication of the disposable sensor aimed the integration of all electrodes necessary for measurement in the same device. The disposable device was constructed with gold CD-R and copper sheets substrates and the sensing elements were gold, copper and a gold surface modified with a layer of Prussian Blue. The relative standard deviation for signals obtained from 20 different disposable gold and 10 different disposable copper electrodes was below 3.5%. The performance, electrode materials and the capability of the device to differentiate samples were evaluated for taste substances model, milk with different pasteurization processes (homogenized/pasteurized, ultra high temperature (UHT) pasteurized and UHT pasteurized with low fat content) and adulterated with hydrogen peroxide. In all analysed cases, a good separation between different samples was noticed in the score plots obtained from the principal component analysis (PCA). Crown Copyright (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Polymeric electronic gas sensor for determining alcohol content in automotive fuels

In this paper we describe the electrosynthesis of poly[(2-bromo-5-hexyloxy- 1,4-phenylenevinylene)-co-(1,4-phenylenevinylene)] (BHPPV-co-PPV), a novel conducting copolymer, and its application as active layer of a chemiresistive gas sensor suitable for quantification of ethanol present in ethanol-gasoline mixtures normally present in the fuel tanks of flex-fuel vehicles. This information is crucial for the smooth operation of the engine since it permits optimal air:fuel ratio regulation. The sensor consists of an interdigitated electrode coated with a thin polymer film doped with dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid. On exposure to fuel vapours at room temperature, the device presents a linear correlation between its electrical conductance and the ethanol concentration in the fuel. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrochemical oxidation of glycine by doped nickel hydroxide modified electrode

The electrocatalytic oxidation of glycine by doped nickel hydroxide modified electrodes and their use as sensors are described. The electrode modification was carried out by a simple electrochemical coprecipitation and its electrochemical properties were investigated. The modified electrode presented activity for glycine oxidation after applying a potential required to form NiOOH (similar to 0.45 V vs Ag/AgCl). In these conditions a sensitivity of 0.92 mu A mmol(-1) L and a linear response range from 0.1 up to 1.2 mmol L(-1) were achieved in the electrolytic Solutions at PH 12.6. Limits of detection and quantification were found to be 30 and 110 mu mol L(-1), respectively. Kinetic studies performed with rotating disk electrode (RDE) and by chronoamperometry allowed to determine the heterogeneous rate constant of 4.3 x 10(2) mol(-1) Ls(-1), Suggesting that NiOOH is a good electrocatalyst for glycine oxidation. NiOOH activity to oxidize other amino acids was also investigated, (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bioluminescent sensor for naphthalene in air: Cell immobilization and evaluation with a dynamic standard atmosphere generator

A dynamic atmosphere generator with a naphthalene emission source has been constructed and used for the development and evaluation of a bioluminescence sensor based on the bacteria Pseudomonas fluorescens HK44 immobilized in 2% agar gel (101 cell mL(-1)) placed in sampling tubes. A steady naphthalene emission rate (around 7.3 nmol min(-1) at 27 degrees C and 7.4 mLmin(-1) of purified air) was obtained by covering the diffusion unit containing solid naphthalene with a PTFE filter membrane. The time elapsed from gelation of the agar matrix to analyte exposure (""maturation time"") was found relevant for the bioluminescence assays, being most favorable between 1.5 and 3 h. The maximum light emission, observed after 80 min, is dependent on the analyte concentration and the exposure time (evaluated between 5 and 20 min), but not on the flow rate of naphthalene in the sampling tube, over the range of 1.8-7.4 nmol min(-1). A good linear response was obtained between 50 and 260 nmol L-1 with a limit of detection estimated in 20 nmol L-1 far below the recommended threshold limit value for naphthalene in air. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A selective conductive polymer-based sensor for volatile halogenated organic compounds (VHOC)

A novel poly(p-xylylene), PPX, derivative bearing alkoxyphenyl side groups was electrochemically synthesized in 87% yield. The polymer, poly(4`-hexyloxy-2,5-biphenyleneethylene) (PHBPE), presented a fraction (92%) soluble in common organic solvents. It showed to be thermally resistant up to 185 degrees C. UV-vis analysis revealed an E-gap of 3.5 eV Gas sensors made from thin films of 10-camphorsulfonic acid-doped PHBPE deposited on interdigitated electrodes exhibited significant changes in electrical conductance upon exposure to five VHOCs: 1,2-dichloroethane, bromochloromethane, trichloromethane, dichloromethane and tetrachloromethane. The conductance decreased after exposure to tetrachloromethane and increased after exposure to all the other VHOCs. Three-dimensional plots of relative response versus time of half response versus time of half recovery showed good discrimination between the five VHOCs tested. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automatic devices for monitoring environmentally induced auto-oxidative degradation of artistic materials in conservation sites

This paper describes an automatic device for in situ and continuous monitoring of the ageing process occurring in natural and synthetic resins widely used in art and in the conservation and restoration of cultural artefacts. The results of tests carried out under accelerated ageing conditions are also presented. This easy-to-assemble palm-top device, essentially consists of oscillators based on quartz crystal resonators coated with films of the organic materials whose response to environmental stress is to be addressed. The device contains a microcontroller which selects at pre-defined time intervals the oscillators and records and stores their oscillation frequency. The ageing of the coatings, caused by the environmental stress and resulting in a shift in the oscillation frequency of the modified crystals, can be straightforwardly monitored in this way. The kinetics of this process reflects the level of risk damage associated with a specific microenvironment. In this case, natural and artificial resins, broadly employed in art and restoration of artistic and archaeological artefacts (dammar and Paraloid B72), were applied onto the crystals. The environmental stress was represented by visible and UV radiation, since the chosen materials are known to be photochemically active, to different extents. In the case of dammar, the results obtained are consistent with previous data obtained using a bench-top equipment by impedance analysis through discrete measurements and confirm that the ageing of this material is reflected in the gravimetric response of the modified quartz crystals. As for Paraloid B72, the outcome of the assays indicates that the resin is resistant to visible light, but is very sensitive to UV irradiation. The use of a continuous monitoring system, apart from being obviously more practical, is essential to identify short-term (i.e. reversible) events, like water vapour adsorption/desorption processes, and to highlight ageing trends or sudden changes of such trends. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of carbaryl in tomato ""in natura"" using an amperometric biosensor based on the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity

This work reports the utilization of two methodologies for carbaryl determination in tomatoes. The measurements were carried out using an amperometric biosensor technique based on the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity due to carbaryl adsorption and a HPLC procedure. The electrochemical experiments were performed in 0.1 mol L-1 phosphate buffer solutions at pH 7.4 with an incubation time of 8 min. The analytical curve obtained in pure solutions showed excellent linearity in the 5.0 x 10(-5) to 75 x 10(-5) mol L-1 range, with the limit of detection at 0.4 x 10(-3) gL(-1). The application of such a methodology in tomato samples involved solely liquidising the samples, which were spiked with 6.0 x 10(-6) and 5.0 x 10(-5) mol L-1 carbaryl. Recovery in such samples presented values of 99.0 and 92.4%, respectively. In order to obtain a comparison, HPLC experiments were also conducted under similar conditions. However, the tomato samples have to be manipulated by an extraction procedure (MSPD), which yielded much lower recovery values (78.3 and 84.8%, respectively). On the other hand, the detection limit obtained was much lower than that for the biosensor, i.e., 3.2 x 10(-6) g L-1. Finally, the biosensor methodology was employed to analyze carbaryl directly inside the tomato, without any previous manipulation. In this case, the biosensor was immersed in the tomato pulp, which had previously been spiked with the pesticide for 8 min, removed and inserted in the electrochemical cell. A recovery of 83.4% was obtained, showing very low interference of the matrix constituents. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of epinephrine in urine using multi-walled carbon nanotube modified with cobalt phthalocyanine in a paraffin composite electrode

This paper describes the development, electrochemical characterization and utilization of a cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc), modified multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT), and paraffin composite electrode for the quantitative determination of epinephrine (EP) in human urine samples. The electrochemical profile of the proposed composite electrode was analyzed by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) that showed a shift of the oxidation peak potential of EP at 175 mV to less positive value, compared with a paraffin/graphite composite electrode without CoPc. DPV experiments in PBS at pH 6.0 were performed to determine EP without any previous step of extraction, clean-up, and derivatization, in the range from 1.33 to 5.50 mu mol L(-1), with a detection limit of 15.6 nmol L(-1) (2.86) of EP in electrolyte prepared with purified water. The lifetime of the proposed sensors was at least over 1000 determinations with 1.7 and 3.1 repeatability and reproducibility relative standard deviations, respectively. Human urine samples without any purification step were successfully analyzed under the standard addition method using paraffin/MWCNT/CoPc composite electrode. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Anodic stripping voltammetric determination of copper(II) using a functionalized carbon nanotubes paste electrode modified with crosslinked chitosan

The development and application of a functionalized carbon nanotubes paste electrode (CNPE) modified with crosslinked chitosan for determination of Cu(II) in industrial wastewater, natural water and human urine samples by linear scan anodic stripping voltammetry (LSASV) are described. Different electrodes were constructed using chitosan and chitosan crosslinked with glutaraldehyde (CTS-GA) and epichlorohydrin (CTS-ECH). The best voltammetric response for Cu(II) was obtained with a paste composition of 65% (m/m) of functionalized carbon nanotubes, 15% (m/m) of CTS-ECH, and 20% (m/m) of mineral oil using a solution of 0.05 mol L(-1) KNO(3) with pH adjusted to 2.25 with HNO(3), an accumulation potential of 0.3V vs. Ag/AgCl (3.0 mol L(-1) KCl) for 300 s and a scan rate of 100 mV s(-1). Under these optimal experimental conditions, the voltammetric response was linearly dependent on the Cu(II) concentration in the range from 7.90 x 10(-8) to 1.60 x 10(-5) mol L(-1) with a detection limit of 1.00 x 10(-8) mol L(-1). The samples analyses were evaluated using the proposed sensor and a good recovery of Cu(II) was obtained with results in the range from 98.0% to 104%. The analysis of industrial wastewater, natural water and human urine samples obtained using the proposed CNPE modified with CTS-ECH electrode and those obtained using a comparative method are in agreement at the 95% confidence level. (C) 2009 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.

Design Management för Remote Control Sweden AB

This Degree Project is a cooperativ work with the advertising agency PAX in Falun and the industrial companyRemote Control, who constructs and sells actuators for the global market.The assignment concerns bringing out a graphic profile, or with another expression a Design Management, forRemote Control AB graphic materials. Remote Control AB has a quality certification ISO 9000 and is workingwith, when this report was wrote, an environment certification ISO 14001.The Company has been paid attention to Internet and other media.The supervisors are familiar to that Design Management is a soon coming competition element, like quality andenvironment management.This Degree project contains research, analysis and the construction of graphic material. The research has beencommitted most of the time to trace the customer, the market and the competitor, because its the most importantphase. It’s also important looking at competitor’s way of working with marketing management, so you can separatethem from the own company.

Some aspects of numerical simulation for lamb wave propogation in composite laminates

Some aspects of numerical simulation of Lamb wave propagation in composite laminates using the finite element models with explicit dynamic analysis are addressed in this study. To correctly and efficiently describe the guided-wave excited/received by piezoelectric actuators/sensors, effective models of surface-bounded flat PZT disks based on effective force, moment and displacement are developed. Different finite element models for Lamb wave excitation, collection and propagation in isotropic plate and quasi-isotropic laminated composite are evaluated using continuum elements (3-D solid element) and structural elements (3-D shell element), to elaborate the validity and versatility of the proposed actuator/sensor models.

Conductive fabrics for heating applications

By coating textiles with electrically conductive organic polymers, we are able to produce functional, intelligent fabrics. These fabrics can be utilised in applications such as gas sensors, actuators, electromagnetic shielding, radar absorption, selected frequency filtering in indoor wireless applications, and heating applications where vital parts of the body can be heated without embedding any wiring through the fabric.

Heat generation in fabrics coated with the conductive polymer polypyrrole was investigated. The fabrics were coated by chemical synthesis methods by oxidizing the pyrrole monomer in the presence of the fabric substrate. Ferric chloride was selected as the oxidizing agent and anthraquinone-2-sulfonic acid (AQSA) sodium salt monohydrate as the dopant.

Conductive fabrics were characterized by resistivity measurements, scanning electron microscopy, thermal imaging, current transmission over a period of time and calculations of power density per unit area. Effects of reaction conditions on the electrical properties and heat generated are presented. Polypyrrole coated fabrics were stable and possessed high electrical conductivity. Resistivity values ranged from 100-500 ohms/square depending on the reaction parameters. When subjected to a constant voltage of 24V, the polypyrrole coated polyester-Lycra® fabric doped with AQSA reached a maximum temperature of 42°C and a power density per unit area of 430 W/m² was achieved.

Automated robotic grinding by low-powered manipulator

A new robotic grinding process has been developed for a low-powered robot system using a spring balancer as a suspension system. To manipulate a robot-arm in the vertical plane, a large actuator torque is required due to the tool weight and enormous gravity effect. But the actuators of the robot system always exhibit a limited torque capacity. This paper presents a cheap and available system for precise grinding tasks by a low-powered robot system using a suspension system. For grinding operations, to achieve position and force-tracking simultaneously, this paper presents an algorithm of the hybrid position/force-tracking scheme with respect to the dynamic behavior of a spring balancer. Material Removal Rate (MRR) is developed for materials SS400 and SUS304. Simulations and experiments have been carried out to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed system.