Devices for detecting analytes using thermal waves and related methods

1. A device for detecting an analyte, the device comprising:

a substrate having a polymer material formed on a surface thereof, the polymer material formulated to bind to the analyte, wherein a heat transfer property of the polymer material is formulated to vary based on an amount of the analyte bound thereto;

a heat transfer element thermally coupled to a surface of the substrate opposite the polymer material;

a temperature modification device thermally coupled to the heat transfer element;

a controller configured to cause the temperature modification device to produce a thermal wave emanating from the heat transfer element;

a flow cell located and configured to pass a liquid over the polymer material of the substrate;

a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the liquid passing over the polymer material; and

a processor configured to calculate a concentration of an analyte in the liquid based at least in part on a phase shift between the thermal wave at the heat transfer element and an attenuated thermal wave in the liquid.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer element comprises copper.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to change a temperature of the heat transfer element at a variable frequency.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the polymer material comprises an imprinted polymer.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the polymer material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of DNA, RNA, proteins, and portions and analogs thereof.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the polymer material is formulated to bind to a first bacteria with a first affinity higher than a second affinity of the polymer material to a second bacteria.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the first bacteria comprises living bacteria, and wherein the second bacteria comprises dead bacteria, the living bacteria and the dead bacteria being of the same species.

8. The device of claim 6 , wherein the first bacteria comprises a first species, and wherein the second bacteria comprises a second species, the second species being an analogue of the first species.

9. A method for detecting an analyte, the method comprising:

passing a liquid containing an analyte over a polymer material on a substrate, the polymer material formulated to bind to the analyte, wherein the polymer material is formulated such that the polymer material varies based on an amount of the analyte bound thereto;

binding the analyte to the polymer material;

providing a thermal wave from a heat transfer element to the polymer material through the substrate;

detecting a temperature of the liquid; and

calculating a concentration of the analyte in the liquid based at least in part on a phase shift between the thermal wave produced by the heat transfer element and an attenuated thermal wave in the liquid.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising generating the thermal wave with a controller configured to change a temperature of a temperature modification device thermally coupled to the heat transfer element.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein calculating a concentration of the analyte in the liquid comprises determining a difference in amplitude between the thermal wave at the heat transfer element and the attenuated thermal wave in the liquid.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein providing a thermal wave from a heat transfer element to the polymer material through the substrate comprises changing a frequency of the thermal wave.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein calculating a concentration of the analyte in the liquid comprises calculating a concentration of histamine in the liquid.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein passing a liquid containing an analyte over a polymer material on a substrate comprises passing the liquid containing the analyte over a molecularly imprinted polymer.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein passing a liquid containing an analyte over a polymer material on a substrate comprises passing the liquid containing the analyte over a material selected from the group consisting of DNA, RNA, proteins, and portions and analogs thereof.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein providing a thermal wave from a heat transfer element to the polymer material through the substrate comprises changing a temperature of the heat transfer element by less than 0.2° C.

17. The method of claim 9 , wherein calculating a concentration of the analyte in the liquid comprises calculating a concentration of living bacteria in a mixture comprising living and dead bacteria of the same species.

18. A method of forming a device for detecting an analyte the method comprising: forming a polymer material over a surface of a substrate, the polymer material formulated to bind to the analyte, wherein a heat transfer property of the polymer material is formulated to vary based on an amount of the analyte bound thereto; thermally coupling a heat transfer element to a surface of the substrate opposite the polymer material; thermally coupling a temperature modification device to the heat transfer element; configuring a controller to cause the temperature modification device to produce a thermal wave emanating from the heat transfer element; configuring a flow cell to pass a liquid over the polymer material of the substrate; configuring a temperature sensor to detect a temperature of the liquid passing over the polymer material; and configuring a processor to calculate a concentration of an analyte in the liquid based at least in part on a phase shift between the thermal wave at the heat transfer element and an attenuated thermal wave in the liquid.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein forming a polymer material over a surface of a substrate comprises screen-printing the polymer material over the surface of the substrate.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein forming a polymer material over a surface of a substrate comprises forming a molecularly imprinted polymer over the surface of the substrate.