GB2447965A - Interpenetrating polymer network containing a nanoparticle for chemical sensing - Google Patents
Interpenetrating polymer network containing a nanoparticle for chemical sensing Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2447965A GB2447965A GB0706199A GB0706199A GB2447965A GB 2447965 A GB2447965 A GB 2447965A GB 0706199 A GB0706199 A GB 0706199A GB 0706199 A GB0706199 A GB 0706199A GB 2447965 A GB2447965 A GB 2447965A
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- Prior art keywords
- network
- nanoparticle
- interpenetrating
- polymer network
- interpenetrating polymer
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- 229920000642 polymer Polymers 0.000 title claims abstract description 34
- 239000002105 nanoparticle Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 17
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 title claims description 24
- 230000003287 optical effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 15
- 239000004814 polyurethane Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 8
- 229920003229 poly(methyl methacrylate) Polymers 0.000 claims abstract description 7
- 239000004926 polymethyl methacrylate Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 7
- 229920002635 polyurethane Polymers 0.000 claims abstract description 4
- 238000005253 cladding Methods 0.000 claims description 16
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 16
- 239000013307 optical fiber Substances 0.000 claims description 15
- BBEAQIROQSPTKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N pyrene Chemical compound C1=CC=C2C=CC3=CC=CC4=CC=C1C2=C43 BBEAQIROQSPTKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 10
- KDLHZDBZIXYQEI-UHFFFAOYSA-N Palladium Chemical compound [Pd] KDLHZDBZIXYQEI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 7
- CURLTUGMZLYLDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon dioxide Chemical compound O=C=O CURLTUGMZLYLDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 6
- QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N atomic oxygen Chemical compound [O] QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000001257 hydrogen Substances 0.000 claims description 6
- 229910052739 hydrogen Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 6
- 229910052760 oxygen Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000001301 oxygen Substances 0.000 claims description 6
- GVEPBJHOBDJJJI-UHFFFAOYSA-N fluoranthrene Natural products C1=CC(C2=CC=CC=C22)=C3C2=CC=CC3=C1 GVEPBJHOBDJJJI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 5
- BASFCYQUMIYNBI-UHFFFAOYSA-N platinum Chemical compound [Pt] BASFCYQUMIYNBI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 4
- XOLBLPGZBRYERU-UHFFFAOYSA-N tin dioxide Chemical compound O=[Sn]=O XOLBLPGZBRYERU-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910002092 carbon dioxide Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000001569 carbon dioxide Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 229910052763 palladium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 3
- UGFAIRIUMAVXCW-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon monoxide Chemical compound [O+]#[C-] UGFAIRIUMAVXCW-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 2
- GWEVSGVZZGPLCZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Titan oxide Chemical compound O=[Ti]=O GWEVSGVZZGPLCZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 2
- 229910002091 carbon monoxide Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 2
- 229910003437 indium oxide Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 2
- PJXISJQVUVHSOJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N indium(iii) oxide Chemical compound [O-2].[O-2].[O-2].[In+3].[In+3] PJXISJQVUVHSOJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 2
- 230000003993 interaction Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000002082 metal nanoparticle Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 229910052697 platinum Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 2
- 229910052703 rhodium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000010948 rhodium Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- MHOVAHRLVXNVSD-UHFFFAOYSA-N rhodium atom Chemical compound [Rh] MHOVAHRLVXNVSD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 2
- 229910001887 tin oxide Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 2
- OGIDPMRJRNCKJF-UHFFFAOYSA-N titanium oxide Inorganic materials [Ti]=O OGIDPMRJRNCKJF-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000000956 alloy Substances 0.000 claims 1
- 229910045601 alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 claims 1
- 125000004435 hydrogen atom Chemical class [H]* 0.000 claims 1
- 239000000835 fiber Substances 0.000 description 19
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 19
- 239000003361 porogen Substances 0.000 description 12
- 208000014117 bile duct papillary neoplasm Diseases 0.000 description 11
- 239000011148 porous material Substances 0.000 description 11
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 description 7
- 239000011159 matrix material Substances 0.000 description 6
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 description 5
- 239000004215 Carbon black (E152) Substances 0.000 description 4
- 229930195733 hydrocarbon Natural products 0.000 description 4
- 150000002430 hydrocarbons Chemical class 0.000 description 4
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 3
- 150000002431 hydrogen Chemical class 0.000 description 3
- 239000004615 ingredient Substances 0.000 description 3
- 238000002386 leaching Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000005459 micromachining Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000000253 optical time-domain reflectometry Methods 0.000 description 3
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 description 3
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 3
- 230000004044 response Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000000807 solvent casting Methods 0.000 description 3
- UFHFLCQGNIYNRP-UHFFFAOYSA-N Hydrogen Chemical compound [H][H] UFHFLCQGNIYNRP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- FAPWRFPIFSIZLT-UHFFFAOYSA-M Sodium chloride Chemical compound [Na+].[Cl-] FAPWRFPIFSIZLT-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 description 2
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000005191 phase separation Methods 0.000 description 2
- -1 poly(n-butyl acrylate) Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 230000035945 sensitivity Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000003786 synthesis reaction Methods 0.000 description 2
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- DBCAQXHNJOFNGC-UHFFFAOYSA-N 4-bromo-1,1,1-trifluorobutane Chemical compound FC(F)(F)CCCBr DBCAQXHNJOFNGC-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910001316 Ag alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- ATRRKUHOCOJYRX-UHFFFAOYSA-N Ammonium bicarbonate Chemical compound [NH4+].OC([O-])=O ATRRKUHOCOJYRX-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910000013 Ammonium bicarbonate Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000004971 Cross linker Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000005033 Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000005058 Isophorone diisocyanate Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910001252 Pd alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000004721 Polyphenylene oxide Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011358 absorbing material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000010521 absorption reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 150000001252 acrylic acid derivatives Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 235000012538 ammonium bicarbonate Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 239000001099 ammonium carbonate Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003054 catalyst Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000006243 chemical reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000013626 chemical specie Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011248 coating agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000000576 coating method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229920001577 copolymer Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000013078 crystal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000009792 diffusion process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004090 dissolution Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000003814 drug Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000839 emulsion Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000005516 engineering process Methods 0.000 description 1
- STVZJERGLQHEKB-UHFFFAOYSA-N ethylene glycol dimethacrylate Substances CC(=C)C(=O)OCCOC(=O)C(C)=C STVZJERGLQHEKB-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 238000004108 freeze drying Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000000227 grinding Methods 0.000 description 1
- 125000002887 hydroxy group Chemical group [H]O* 0.000 description 1
- 238000007654 immersion Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005470 impregnation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000003999 initiator Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000012948 isocyanate Substances 0.000 description 1
- NIMLQBUJDJZYEJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N isophorone diisocyanate Chemical compound CC1(C)CC(N=C=O)CC(C)(CN=C=O)C1 NIMLQBUJDJZYEJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 238000011068 loading method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000012528 membrane Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000877 morphologic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000012454 non-polar solvent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 150000002978 peroxides Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000005498 polishing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229920001485 poly(butyl acrylate) polymer Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920002189 poly(glycerol 1-O-monomethacrylate) polymer Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920000728 polyester Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920000570 polyether Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000002861 polymer material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000006116 polymerization reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001902 propagating effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000005855 radiation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000011780 sodium chloride Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011343 solid material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000002904 solvent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000002847 sound insulator Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
- G01N21/75—Systems in which material is subjected to a chemical reaction, the progress or the result of the reaction being investigated
- G01N21/77—Systems in which material is subjected to a chemical reaction, the progress or the result of the reaction being investigated by observing the effect on a chemical indicator
- G01N21/7703—Systems in which material is subjected to a chemical reaction, the progress or the result of the reaction being investigated by observing the effect on a chemical indicator using reagent-clad optical fibres or optical waveguides
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B82—NANOTECHNOLOGY
- B82Y—SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
- B82Y15/00—Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N31/00—Investigating or analysing non-biological materials by the use of the chemical methods specified in the subgroup; Apparatus specially adapted for such methods
- G01N31/22—Investigating or analysing non-biological materials by the use of the chemical methods specified in the subgroup; Apparatus specially adapted for such methods using chemical indicators
- G01N31/223—Investigating or analysing non-biological materials by the use of the chemical methods specified in the subgroup; Apparatus specially adapted for such methods using chemical indicators for investigating presence of specific gases or aerosols
- G01N31/225—Investigating or analysing non-biological materials by the use of the chemical methods specified in the subgroup; Apparatus specially adapted for such methods using chemical indicators for investigating presence of specific gases or aerosols for oxygen, e.g. including dissolved oxygen
Landscapes
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Pathology (AREA)
- Immunology (AREA)
- Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
- Biochemistry (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- Molecular Biology (AREA)
- Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
- Biophysics (AREA)
- Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
- Emergency Medicine (AREA)
- Nanotechnology (AREA)
- Crystallography & Structural Chemistry (AREA)
- Investigating Or Analysing Materials By Optical Means (AREA)
- Investigating Or Analysing Materials By The Use Of Chemical Reactions (AREA)
Abstract
An interpenetrating polymer network of polyurethane and polymethyl methacrylate wherein said network is provided with a nanoparticle. The use of the interpenetrating polymer network as an optical waveguide is also described.
Description
* 2447965 A porous IPN polymer structure for use in chemical sensing
applications The present invention relates to improvements in chemical sensing for optical waveguides. In particular, the invention relates to improvements in fibre optical sensors which are used in chemical sensing.
In general, sensors that are intended to detect chemicals are electrical in nature. These electrical sensors are typically relatively large in size, and have a complex mode of operation. Further, they require a power supply close to the sensing location.
There is currently particular interest in gas sensors, especially oxygen and hydrogen sensors, as it is believed that these gases will be an important future energy source. Oxygen sensing has the further advantage of potential biomedical applications, e.g in chest medicine and intensive care.
It may be possible to improve the response time by using a porous structure. It is known that a greater surface area results in a faster reaction. Accordingly, shorter response times can be achieved by increasing the porosity of the cladding material.
Porous materials, as its name imply, are the solid materials containing pores. They can be classified into two types: open pores and close pores. The former means the pores are connected to the outside environment of the materials. They are important to the industry since it can offer a large surface I volume ratio and be used as filter and carrier for various applications such as catalyst and bioreactor.
The latter, in contrast, indicates that the pores are isolated from the outer environment of the materials. They are mainly used as heat and sound insulator.
An interpenetrating polymer network is a polymer network which comprises two or more polymer networks which are at least partially interlaced on a molecular scale but not covalently bonded to * each other and cannot be separated unless chemical bonds are broken. The properties of such materials are significantly different form the properties of corresponding co-polymers.
JPN's are extensively used in the development of novel plastic materials, and also in the medical
field.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an interpenetrating polymer network of polyurethane and polymethyl methacrylate wherein said network is provided with a nanoparticle.
I
The nanoparticle is typically selected to be a chemically responsive material. The nanoparticle can have a larger interaction by changing its shape or size, hence the surface area. The nanoparticle can be selected from the group comprising pyrene, palladium, titanium oxide, platinum or rhodium, indium oxide (1n203)-doped tin oxide (Sn02), Pd/Ag Alloy and functionalised metal nanoparticles The polymer network is typically in the form of an open porous network.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided the use of the porous interpenetrating polymer network of the first aspect of the present invention in an optical waveguide.
The interpenetrating polymer network is typically used as part of the cladding of an optical waveguide. A suitable optical waveguide is an optical fibre.
The optical fibre is preferably used to detect the presence of a gaseous chemical. The gaseous chemical can be selected from the group comprising oxygen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.
Preferred embodiments will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying Figures, in which: Figure 1 illustrates the design of a fibre optic sensor using the interpenetrating polymer network of the present invention; and Figure 2 illustrates the design of a fibre optic sensor using the interpenetrating polymer network of the present invention.
The IPNs of the present invention are made by impregnating/absorbing materials having a known affinity for gas sensing in polymeric matrix. Polyurethane/polymethylmethacrylate interpenetrating networks (PUIPMMA IPN) are synthesized by sequential IPN and simultaneous IPN.
In a sequential method PU, with different NCO/OH ratios, is synthesized by reacting isophorone diisocyanate with hydroxyl functional group of a caster oil, followed by immersion into a MIvIA solution. The resulting mixture is then radically polymerized with beazoyl peroxide initiator and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate crosslinker. Other soft segments of both the polyether and polyester type can used in the synthesis process. In addition other di-and tri-isocyanates can also be employed.
In a simultaneous method, polymers are synthesised simultaneously by thermal polymerisation and photopolymerization. In addition, radiation is useful in increasing the degree of the interpenetration.
Additional polymer networks based on PU and different acrylates, such as PMMA, poly(n-butyl acrylate) and PGMA can be synthesised.
A number of methods are available for synthesising a porous 1PN, such as solvent casting/particle leaching, fiber bonding, emulsion freeze-drying and supercritical fluids technology (gas forming) to form interconnect-porous structure. Each process will bring about different pore sizes.
The porosity of the porous material will be decided by the amount of the porogens, and the size of the pore is dependent on the size of the porogens. Pore size of 3O-3001tm and porosity of 20-50% have been reported with water-soluble porogens. In the case of waxy hydrocarbon porogens, 87% porosity and pore size of 1 00im have been demonstrated.
The interpenetrating polymer network of the present invention can be characterized using techniques which are well known to the man skilled in the art, e.g. FTIR, DSC, and other morphological techniques.
As far as the interconnected porous structure is concerned, the sensitivity of the fiber optics sensor can be maximized by ensuring that the diameter of the porous structure should be larger than the thickness of the impregnated or adsorbed nanoparticle. For example when the nanoparticle is selected to be a pyrene crystal, its presence will not block the diffusion of oxygen.
The formation of the interconnected porous structure and the nanoparticles impregnation process can be achieved simultaneously by either (1)gas forming or (2) solvent casting/particle leaching methods. The gas forming method is carried out using ammonium bicarbonate porogens. The solvent casting/particle leaching method utilizes sodium chloride as a water soluble porogen.
Alternatively waxy hydrocarbon porogens can be used.
The use of water soluble porogens involves the dissolution of polymers into non-polar solvents. The dissolved polymer is then cast into a mould or a petri dish with the introduction of the water-soluble porogens followed by the mold being placed in vacuum drier.
The use of waxy hydrocarbon porogens requires a different manufacturing process in which porogens are mixed with a dissolved polymer to form a paste in a mould followed by the waxy porogens being leached out first by the hydrocarbon solvents, Factors affecting the morphology of IPN include chemical compatibility of the ingredient polymer chain, interfacial tension, crosslink density of the networks, method of polymerization and the composition of the IPN structure. In terms of morphology, phase separation is commonly observed from the IPN network. The solubility parameters of the polymer are found to play the most important role in the phase separation. If the two ingredient polymers have closer solubility parameters, IPN will have smaller phase domain size than the 1PN whose ingredient polymers have solubility parameters apart from each other. The optical properties are further affected by the size of the phase domain. A polymer with high transparency usually indicates a small phase domain which has a minimal effect on the light propagating therein. The solubility parameters of PMMA and PU are very similar.
Pyrene which is a fluorescent material is physically immobilized in the porous PUIPMMA IPN by two different methods. The first method is done by physical immobilization of pyrene during the IPN synthesis and the second method is by using supercritical fluids.
The cladding material of a commercial optical waveguides such as optical fibre can be removed and replaced by the interconnected porous PU/PMMA interpenetrating polymer network. The bonding strength between the cladding and the fiber core is critical to the reliability of the sensor. The coating technique can have a significant impact on the bonding strength.
A cross section through an optical fibre suitable for use in the present invention is shown in figure 1.
The optical fibre 1 comprises a fibre core 2 surrounded by a cladding layer 3. The fibre 1 acts as a dielectric waveguide for optical signals passing along the fibre 1 and with an evanescent field or decaying field which extends into the cladding layer 3 from the fibre core 2. If a part of the cladding layer 3 is removed to form a recess 4 so that the evanescent field can be accessed, it is then possible to change the properties of the light passing along the fibre I by changing the conditions encountered by the exposed part of the evanescent field within the recess.
The characteristic of the light which is affected will depend on the precise characteristics of the optical fibre 1, the degree of exposure of the evanescent field and the changes made in the conditions experienced by the evanescent field. Typically the light level or the polarisation of light transmitted along the core or the amount of light reflected back along the fibre 1 will be changed.
Figures 1 and 2 illustrates a typical example of an optical fibre 1 which has a core 2 about 10 microns in diameter surrounded by a cladding layer 3 with a thickness of about 125 microns. When light passes along the fibre 1 the evanescent field will typically extend from the core 2 about I or 2 microns into the cladding layer 3.
This example is purely illustrative and use of these specific dimensions is not essential.
As shown in Figures 1 and 2, one or more recesses 4 are opened in the cladding layer 3 of the fibre 1, the recesses 4 having sufficient depth to expose the evanescent field of light passing along the fibre 1.
Preferably the recesses 4 in the cladding 3 of the fibre 1 are formed by laser micro machining to form recesses of a desired shape and size. However, other methods of removing cladding material to expose the evanescent field are known, for example grinding and polishing the optical fibre I. The use of laser micro machining is generally preferred in order to increase repeatability and yield and to allow recesses 4 with a defined shape and size to be provided. Laser micro machining allows a large number of small recesses 4 to be formed, increasing the sensitivity and versatility of the sensor.
Use of a laser micro machine method according to G240 705 5B is particularly preferred.
In order to cause a recess 4 to act as a chemical sensor responsive to the presence of a desired chemical the recess 4 is at least partially filled with a layer 5 of a chemically responsive material, as shown in figure 4. The chemically responsive material comprises a matrix of polymer material loaded or impregnated with nanoparticles formed of a material reactive to the presence of the chemical species desired to be sensed.
The refractive indexes of the polymer matrix and the nanoparticles and the loading quantity of the nanoparticles are selected so that the loaded polymer matrix forming the chemically responsive material has a bulk or average refractive index similar to or matching the refractive index of the cladding layer 3 of the optical fibre 1. When the chemical to be sensed by the sensor is present the nanoparticles react, changing the average refractive index of the chemically responsive material.
This change in refractive index effects the evanescent field of optical signals passing along the optical fibre 1, producing a change in the intensity or polarisation of the transmitted and/or reflected optical signals which can be detected in order to sense the presence of the chemical. If the starting refractive index of the polymer matrix is matched to the core of the optical fiber, when the refractive index of the loaded polymer matrix changes in response to the presence of the chemical to be detected, a large change in the optical signal transmitted in the fiber will be observed.
If the chemical sensors are distributed along the optical fibre, the location at which the chemical has been sensed, that is the location of the sensor detecting the chemical, can be determined. This can for example be carried out by known techniques such as optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR).
One possibility is to form sensors with different chemically responsive materials to detect different chemicals distributed along an optical fibre. By using OTDR to determine where a change in refractive index, polarisation or absorption has taken place, the reacting sensor, and thus the identity of the chemical being detected, can be determined.
With different impregnated chemicals within the polymer cladding, sensors for the different gases, such as oxygen, hydrogen and carbon dioxide can be manufactured. For example, palladium is a hydrogen sensitive metal which can react with hydrogen as much as 80 folds of its volume.
The application range of this fiber optics sensor can be expanded by adding a "specific substance" permeable membrane outside the cladding for the specific substance sensitive fiber optics sensor.
Claims (9)
- Claims I. An interpenetrating polymer network of polyurethane andpolymethyl methacrylate wherein said network is provided with a nanoparticle.
- 2. An interpenetrating network as claimed in Claim I wherein the nanoparticle is in the form of a chemically responsive material.
- 3. An interpenetrating network as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the nanoparticle has a larger interaction surface area by changing its size or shape.
- 4. An interpenetrating network as claimed in any of the preceding Claims wherein the nanoparticle is selected from the group consisting of pyrene, palladium, titanium oxide, platinum or rhodium, indium oxide (1n203)-doped tin oxide (Sn02), PdIAg Alloy and functionalised metal nanoparticles.
- 5. An interpenetrating network as claimed in any of the preceding Claims wherein the polymer network is in the form of an open porous network.
- 6. The use of the interpenetrating polymer network of any of Claims 1-5 in an optical waveguide.
- 7. The use as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the interpenetrating polymer network is used as part of the cladding of the optical waveguide.8. The use as claimed in either Claim 6 or Claim 7 wherein the optical waveguide is an optical fibre.
- 8. The use as claimed in any of Claims 6 -8 wherein the optical fibre is used to detect the presence of a gaseous chemical.
- 9. The use as claimed in and of Claims 6-8 wherein the gaseous chemical is selected from the group comprising oxygen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0706199A GB2447965B (en) | 2007-03-29 | 2007-03-29 | A porous IPN polymer structure for use in chemical sensing applications |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0706199A GB2447965B (en) | 2007-03-29 | 2007-03-29 | A porous IPN polymer structure for use in chemical sensing applications |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB0706199D0 GB0706199D0 (en) | 2007-05-09 |
| GB2447965A true GB2447965A (en) | 2008-10-01 |
| GB2447965B GB2447965B (en) | 2011-12-07 |
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| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0706199A Expired - Fee Related GB2447965B (en) | 2007-03-29 | 2007-03-29 | A porous IPN polymer structure for use in chemical sensing applications |
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| Country | Link |
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| GB (1) | GB2447965B (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN110505906A (en) * | 2017-01-10 | 2019-11-26 | 得克萨斯州A&M大学系统 | The uninanned platform of the acid mediated conjugation porous polymer network of methylsulphur |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN106751738B (en) * | 2016-11-18 | 2019-04-05 | 南昌航空大学 | A kind of preparation method of high grade of transparency PMMA-PU gradient layer composite board |
Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20020142477A1 (en) * | 1999-05-10 | 2002-10-03 | Lewis Nathan S. | Spatiotemporal and geometric optimization of sensor arrays for detecting analytes fluids |
| WO2003025627A2 (en) * | 2001-06-01 | 2003-03-27 | Colorado State University Research Foundation | Optical biosensor with enhanced activity retention for detection of halogenated organic compounds |
| US20050227242A1 (en) * | 2004-04-13 | 2005-10-13 | Sensors For Medicine And Science, Inc. | Non-covalent immobilization of indicator molecules |
| US7176247B1 (en) * | 2003-06-27 | 2007-02-13 | The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army | Interpenetrating polymer network |
-
2007
- 2007-03-29 GB GB0706199A patent/GB2447965B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Patent Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20020142477A1 (en) * | 1999-05-10 | 2002-10-03 | Lewis Nathan S. | Spatiotemporal and geometric optimization of sensor arrays for detecting analytes fluids |
| WO2003025627A2 (en) * | 2001-06-01 | 2003-03-27 | Colorado State University Research Foundation | Optical biosensor with enhanced activity retention for detection of halogenated organic compounds |
| US7176247B1 (en) * | 2003-06-27 | 2007-02-13 | The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army | Interpenetrating polymer network |
| US20050227242A1 (en) * | 2004-04-13 | 2005-10-13 | Sensors For Medicine And Science, Inc. | Non-covalent immobilization of indicator molecules |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN110505906A (en) * | 2017-01-10 | 2019-11-26 | 得克萨斯州A&M大学系统 | The uninanned platform of the acid mediated conjugation porous polymer network of methylsulphur |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB2447965B (en) | 2011-12-07 |
| GB0706199D0 (en) | 2007-05-09 |
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