Metal-polymer composite sensors for volatile organic compounds: Part 1. Flow-through chemi-resistors

A new type of chemi-resistor based on a novel metal-polymer composite is described. The composite contains nickel particles with sharp nano-scale surface features, which are intimately coated by the polymer matrix so that they do not come into direct physical contact. No conductive chains of filler particles are formed even at loadings above the percolation threshold and the composite is intrinsically insulating. However, when subjected to compression the composite becomes conductive, with sample resistance falling from ≥ 1012 Ω to < 0.01 Ω. The composite can be formed into insulating granules, which display similar properties to the bulk form. A bed of granules compressed between permeable frits provides a porous structure with a start resistance set by the degree of compression while the granules are free to swell when exposed to volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The granular bed presents a large surface area for the adsorption of VOCs from the gas stream flowing through it. The response of this system to a variety of vapours has been studied for two different sizes of the granular bed and for different matrix polymers. Large responses, ΔR/R0 ≥ 10^7, are observed when saturated vapours are passed through the chemi-resistor. Rapid response allows real time sensing of VOCs and the initial state is recovered in a few seconds by purging with an inert gas stream. The variation in response as a function of VOC concentration is determined.

High performance non-volatile ferroelectric copolymer memory based on a ZnO nanowire transistor fabricated on a transparent substrate

A high performance ferroelectric non-volatile memory device based on a top-gate ZnO nanowire (NW) transistor fabricated on a glass substrate is demonstrated. The ZnO NW channel was spin-coated with a poly (vinylidenefluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) layer acting as a top-gate dielectric without buffer layer. Electrical conductance modulation and memory hysteresis are achieved by a gate electric field induced reversible electrical polarization switching of the P(VDF-TrFE) thin film. Furthermore, the fabricated device exhibits a memory window of ∼16.5 V, a high drain current on/off ratio of ∼105, a gate leakage current below ∼300 pA, and excellent retention characteristics for over 104 s. © 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.

Distribution of 25 semi-volatile organic compounds of two urban lakes in Wuhan, China

In this study, the levels of 25 semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) were measured in samples of water, suspended particulate matter (SPM) and sediment from two urban lakes in Wuhan, China. The total concentrations of 25 SVOCs varied from 529.4 to 2168.9 ng/L, 120.7 to 22543.7 ng/g dry weight and 1577.3 to 61579.6 ng/g dry wt. in water, SPM and sediment, respectively. The concentration of SVOCs in SPM was 9-10 times higher than that in water, and the concentration of SVOCs in sediment 1.5-2 times higher than that in SPM. The level of total SVOC25 in the samples from Moshuihu Lake was higher than that in Yuehu Lake. Among the 25 SVOCs, phthalate compounds were on the highest level in all observed samples ranging between 441.9-1831.2 ng/L, 116.3-17566.8 ng/g, dry wt. and 6432.8-48177.6 ng/g dry wt. in water, SPM and sediment, respectively. Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, the predominant component of the analyzed pollutants, was in the range from 246.7 to 537.5 ng/l, 51.2 to 15540.0 ng/g dry wt. and 468.2 to 45010.3 ng/g dry wt. in water, SPM and sediment, respectively. The content of PAHs, dinitrotoluene and isophoton in sediment was higher than that in water and SPM at most of the locations. The possible sources of the pollutants and their inter-relation with human activities were discussed.

A condensation particle counter insensitive to volatile particles

A High Temperature Condensation Particle Counter (HT-CPC) is described that operates at an elevated temperature of up to ca. 300. °C such that volatile particles from typical combustion sources are not counted. The HT-CPC is functionally identical to a conventional CPC, the main challenge being to find suitable non-hazardous working fluids, with good stability, and an appropriate vapour pressure. Some key design features are described, and results of modelling which predict the HT-CPC counting efficiency. Experimental results are presented for several candidate fluids when the HT-CPC was challenged with ambient, NaCl and diesel soot particles, and the results show good agreement with modelled predictions, and confirm that counting of particles of diameters down to at least 10. nm was achievable. Possible applications are presented, including measurement of particles from a diesel car engine and comparison with a near PMP system. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

Acid volatile sulfide and simultaneously extracted metals in the sediment cores of the Pearl River Estuary, South China

The acid-volatile sulfide (AVS), simultaneously extracted metals (SEM), total metals, and chemical partitioning in the sediment cores of the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) were studied. The concentrations of total metals, AVS, and SEM in the sediment cores were generally low in the river outlet area, increased along the seaward direction, and decreased again at the seaward boundary of the estuary. The amounts of AVS were generally greater in deeper sediments than in surface sediments. SEM/AVS was > 1 in the surface sediments and in the river outlet cores. The ratio was < 1 in the sediments down the profiles, suggesting that AVS might play a major role in binding heavy metals in the deep sediments of the PRE. The SEM may contain different chemical forms of trace metals in the sediments, depending on the metal reaction with 1 M cold HCl in the AVS procedure compared with the results of the sequential chemical extraction. The SEM/AVS ratio prediction may overestimate trace metal availability even in the sediments with high AVS concentrations. (c) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Composition of volatile oil of Primula obconica in Central China

Primula obconica was introduced to Europe from Hubei, China in 1880, and has been cultivated worldwide as one of popular ornamental plants. The volatile oil of wild P. obconica collected from its original place, Yichang, Hubei was first investigated. A total of 43 compounds constituting 93.49% of the oil were identified by using GC and GC-MS. The major compounds were methyl 2,4-dihydroxy-5-methyl benzoate (30.41%), methyl 2,6-dihydroxy-4-methyl benzoate (29.27%), and hypnone (8.92%) etc. In comparison with the published data of some European cultivars, the native P. obconica seems to be allergen-free due to absence of primin and miconidin.

An Ultra Low Power Non-volatile Memory in Standard CMOS Process for Passive RFID Tags

An ultra low power non-volatile memory is designed in a standard CMOS process for passive RFID tags. The memory can operate in a new low power operating scheme under a wide supply voltage and clock frequency range. In the charge pump circuit the threshold voltage effect of the switch transistor is almost eliminated and the pumping efficiency of the circuit is improved. An ultra low power 192-bit memory with a register array is implemented in a 0.18 mu M standard CMOS process. The measured results indicate that, for the supply voltage of 1.2 volts and the clock frequency of 780KHz, the current consumption of the memory is 1.8 mu A (3.6 mu A) at the read (write) rate of 1.3Mb/s (0.8Kb/s).

Gas-aerosol partitioning of semi volatile carbonyls in polluted atmosphere in Hachioji, Tokyo

Gaseous and particulate semi volatile carbonyls have been measured in urban air using an annular denuder sampling system. Three dicarbonyls, five aliphatic aldehydes and two hydroxy carbonyls were observed. Concentrations of other biogenic and anthropogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs), SO2, CO, NO2 and particle concentration were also measured. Estimated gas-aerosol equilibrium constants for the carbonyls showed an inverse correlation with the concentrations of anthropogenic pollutants such as benzene, isopentane and SO2. This suggests that the increase in the fraction of non-polar anthropogenic particles in the atmosphere could change the average property of the ambient aerosols and drive the gas particle equilibrium of the carbonyls to the gas phase. This trend is uncommon in remote forest air. In this study, we examined the factors controlling the equilibrium in the polluted atmosphere and show that there is a difference in gas-aerosol partition between polluted and clean air.