Capacitive vapor sensor
A sensor system for detecting the presence of a target analyte. The system comprises a first conductor, a second conductor, and a sensor film. The sensor film is positioned between the first conductor and the second conductor. The sensor film includes a crosslinked siloxane polymer comprising a monomer having a hydrocarbon side group. The sensor film has an absorptive affinity for the target analyte. The electrical capacitance of the sensor system changes upon absorption of the target analyte by the sensor film.
1. A sensor system for detecting the presence of a target analyte comprising:
a first conductor;
a second conductor; and
a sensor film between said first conductor and said second conductor, said sensor film includes a crosslinked siloxane polymer comprising a monomer having a hydrocarbon side group, said sensor film has an absorptive affinity for the target analyte;
wherein an electrical capacitance of said sensor system changes upon absorption of the target analyte by said sensor film.
2. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein said hydrocarbon side group includes two carbon atoms.
3. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein said crosslinked siloxane polymer further comprises poly(vinylmethylsiloxane octylmethylsiloxane-dimethlysiloxane).
4. The sensor system of claim 1 , further comprising a control unit in receipt of a first output from at least one of said first conductor and said second conductor, said first output indicating a change in the electrical capacitance of said sensor system.
5. The sensor system of claim 4 , further comprising a user interface that notifies a user of said sensor system of the presence of said target analyte upon receipt of a second output from said control unit.
6. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the capacitance of said sensor system decreases upon absorption of the target analyte by said sensor film.
7. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the capacitance of said sensor system changes to a substantially constant value upon absorption of the target analyte by said sensor film.
8. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the capacitance of said sensor system changes substantially instantaneously upon absorption of the target analyte by said sensor film.
9. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein said sensor film is at least substantially free of conductive particles.
10. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein said sensor film includes conductive particles.
11. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein said first conductor is a first terminal and said second conductor is a second terminal; and
wherein said first terminal is interdigitated with said second terminal.
12. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein said first conductor is positioned at a first side of said sensor film and said second conductor is positioned at a second side of said sensor film that is opposite to said first side.
13. The sensor film of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first conductor and said second conductor include a porous surface.
14. A sensor system for detecting the presence of a target analyte comprising:
a sensor probe that changes in capacitance when the target analyte is present, said sensor probe comprising:
a first conductor;
a second conductor; and
a sensor film between said first conductor and said second conductor, said sensor film having an affinity for the target analyte and including a crosslinked siloxane polymer comprising a monomer having a hydrocarbon side group; and
a control unit in receipt of an output from at least one of said first conductor and said second conductor, said output represents changes in the capacitance of said sensor probe.
15. The sensor system of claim 14 , further comprising a user interface in receipt of said output from said control unit, said user interface notifies a user of said sensor system if the target analyte is present.
16. The sensor system of claim 14 , wherein the capacitance of said sensor probe decreases upon absorption of the target analyte by said sensor film.
17. The sensor system of claim 14 , wherein the capacitance of said sensor probe changes to a substantially constant value upon absorption of the target analyte by said sensor film.
18. The sensor system of claim 14 , wherein the capacitance of said sensor probe changes substantially instantaneously upon absorption of the target analyte by said sensor film.
19. The sensor system of claim 14 , wherein said sensor film is at least substantially free of conductive particles.
20. The sensor system of claim 14 , wherein said sensor film includes conductive particles.
21. The sensor system of claim 14 , wherein said sensor film includes carbon black.
22. The sensor system of claim 14 , wherein said first conductor is a first terminal and said second conductor is a second terminal; and
wherein said first terminal is interdigitated with said second terminal.
23. The sensor system of claim 14 , wherein said first conductor is positioned at a first side of said sensor film and said second conductor is positioned at a second side of said sensor film that is opposite to said first side.
24. The sensory system of claim 14 , wherein at least one of said first conductor and said second conductor include a porous surface.
25. A method for detecting the presence of a target analyte comprising:
exposing a sensor probe to an environment that may include a target analyte, the sensor probe having a sensor film comprising a crosslinked siloxane polymer comprising a monomer having a hydrocarbon side group;
measuring a capacitance of the sensor film;
detecting a change in the capacitance of the sensor film indicating the presence of the target analyte in the environment;
generating a signal indicating the presence of the target analyte; and
conveying the signal indicating the presence of the target analyte to a user.